Richmond, VA — The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) honors schools that are working to include environmental literacy in their curricula through the Virginia Naturally School Recognition Program.
As the Commonwealth’s official environmental education school recognition program, DWR’s Virginia Naturally School program honors exemplary efforts undertaken to increase environmental awareness and stewardship among K-12 students. Environmental education efforts also support the Virginia Department of Education's Profile of a Virginia Graduate by developing students' communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creative thinking, and civic responsibility.
Schools were evaluated based on two criteria:
1. Authentic, hands-on, real-world learning that takes place in the classroom, emphasizes environmental/sustainable education, and includes civic engagement and/or STEM connections.
2. Learning that expands beyond the classroom setting (often referred to as meaningful field experiences) to connect back to what students are learning in the classroom.
This year, 58 schools were recognized for their efforts during the 2023-24 school year. Of the 58 schools, 16 were recognized for the first time since the program’s inception in 2000. The remaining schools received repeated recognition for continued progression in their programs including three schools that earned their 23rd year of recognition. Twenty-one Title 1 schools also gained recognition. Combined, these Virginia Naturally schools had close to 39,000 students participate during the last school year which will increase environmental awareness and stewardship across the Commonwealth.