INDIANAPOLIS -Seventh grade students at The Orchard School in Indianapolis have convinced the school officials to unplug machines, turn off lights and shut down the HVAC unit at their school on May 7, in an effort to study the effects powering down for one day would have on energy conservation.
The notion of “Power Down Day,” was conceived by a student led team that participated in this past October’s IMAGINE Middle School Conference presented by the Dignity Center at The Orchard School. The theme of the
2008 conference, environmental justice, got many of the students thinking and the action plan was developed to effect change in their school.
“I commend the student IMAGINE team for this idea and for working with members of the school community to make this day happen,” said Joe Marshall, Orchard’s Head of School. “I think powering down for a day, with no computer, no E-mail, no internet, no hot coffee, will be a challenge, a learning experience, and nice respite from our high tech world.”
Students have also asked their classmates about ways they can take this forward thinking to their homes. Suggestions of energy conservation methods and ways to “live green” will be a big topic in all the classrooms at Orchard Thursday as well.
The Orchard School, a non-sectarian, coeducational, preschool to eighth grade school, was founded in 1922 by nine women committed to progressive education and experiential learning. On its 42.9-acre campus, The Orchard School hosts an average of 615 students with a 7:1 student-teacher ratio and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Orchard students experience their education and achieve academic excellence through critical thinking, application of knowledge, and problem solving. In addition to having learned social responsibility and diversity, 85 percent of Orchard graduates are honor roll or high honors students in high school and many become National Merit Scholarship finalists. For more information about The Orchard School, visit http://www.orchard.org, or call 317-251-9253.
