ICS, Inc. Celebrated by Indianapolis’ Office of Sustainability
ICES, ICMS, IPA Receive “Masters” Level Recognition as Thriving Schools

Irvington Community Schools, Inc. (ICS) has been recognized by Indianapolis’ Office of Sustainability and Earth Charter Indiana in the 2020 Indianapolis Thriving Schools Challenge focused on sustainability education. The Challenge affords Indianapolis-based K-12 schools the opportunity to be celebrated for creating and sustaining project-based learning initiatives demonstrating environmental stewardship, social responsibility, waste reduction or conservation of resources. Schools are eligible to receive one of three levels of certification based on the number of qualifying projects included in the application: Thriving Schools Certified, Excelling and Masters. Irvington Community Elementary School (ICES), Irvington Community Middle School (ICMS) and Irvington Preparatory Academy (IPA) were recognized at the highest or “Masters” level.

ICES Sustainability Initiatives
Irvington Community Elementary School’s projects aligned with several of the Indianapolis Thriving Schools Challenge classifications including Community Engagement, Waste Management and ICS Chief Executive Officer Tim Mulherin says, “The learning experiences our entire K-12 student body is having in sustainability is planting the seed of ecological awareness and activism that will serve our students well throughout their lives. This is no small thing. We are extremely proud of the recognition our three schools received in the Thriving Schools Challenge and are excited about the impact our students will make in days to come.”. These projects included hosting the 2019 Earth Day celebration; facilitating several K-5 student-managed ICES Recycling Programs, including the installation and programming of two (2) Little Free Libraries; hosting a guest speaker and Monarch Butterfly Breeder as part of the student-involved ICES Outdoor Masters Conservation Club; and creating awareness and education for litter prevention awareness and environmental impact through the ICES Adopt-A-Block Program and Curbs + Coffee clean-up events.

ICMS Sustainability Initiatives
Irvington Community Middle School was recognized for four projects that aligned with multiple Indianapolis Thriving Schools Challenge classifications including Health & Food, Community Engagement and Education. These projects included participation in the Mission to Mars STEAM Study (Agriculture Team) and planting a community vegetable garden in conjunction with 2019 Earth Day; creating a student-led Treehugger Club; and hosting a Project-based Learning Night where middle school students and families built hydroponic vegetable garden systems to take home. Additional acknowledgement was granted for creating awareness and education specific to litter prevention awareness and environmental impact through the ICMS Curbs + Coffee clean-up event.

IPA Sustainability Initiatives
Irvington Preparatory Academy’s four projects aligned with Waste Management, Education, and Community Engagement. These projects include creating awareness and education for litter prevention awareness and environmental impact through the IPA Adopt-A-Block Program and Curbs + Coffee clean-up events; creating a service-based learning and student-led school-wide recycling program focused on paper products and public art; and celebrating the 2019 Earth Day through school-wide Senior Day of Service.

ICS Chief Executive Officer Tim Mulherin says, “The learning experiences our entire K-12 student body is having in sustainability is planting the seed of ecological awareness and activism that will serve our students well throughout their lives. This is no small thing. We are extremely proud of the recognition our three schools received in the Thriving Schools Challenge and are excited about the impact our students will make in days to come.”