Education & Promotion

Featuring a totally restored and revamped bus that was found in a farmer’s scrap pile, Eco-Motion is a mobile environmental program geared for children through the fifth grade. OGE Energy Corp got the program rolling with both funding and volunteers, and Eco-Motion expects to serve over 5,000 children this year by bringing its field trip straight to schools, day care centers and special events throughout Oklahoma.

Edison - the EcoMotion bus - is a mobile environmental classroom, filled with interactive displays for school children.

Gina Lagaly, EcoMotion director, picked up the KOB award of excellence for the exraordinary & innovative educational project.

The program meets or exceeds state standards for education and covers wildlife conservation, soil and water conservation, solid waste management, forestry and agriculture. It uses a mixture of activities that include interactive presentations at learning stations, a waste reduction competition, discussions and feedback. Our judges hailed it as “An extremely creative way to educate through involvement – literally taking the program to students who might not be exposed to it any other way.” The Eco-Motion program captures the hearts of today’s children and tomorrow’s parents AND IS GOOD NEWS FOR OKLAHOMA’S ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE!

Beautification & Landscaping

Children at the North Highland Math & Science Academy gather for the dedication of their butterfly and commons area - a Clean & Beautiful Schools project. Nancy Anthony, executive director, accepts the first of two Awards of Excellence won in 2001 by the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Recognizing that schools are among the most common buildings in our communities and that the appearance of their campuses are a key economic indicator, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation has developed the massive Clean & Beautiful Schools Program, designed to bring long-term benefits. The program is open to all public and private elementary schools in Oklahoma County and 61 already are participants. Also, 12 junior high and high schools have adopted the program guidelines which include the establishment of a beautification committee, a site analysis, development of a plan, submission of financial priorities, commitment to continuing maintenance education and standards, and an annual evaluation for five years. As one of our judges remarked, “I like the thoroughness of the program’s process and requirements. This much planning will surely carry over into sustaining the improvements.” For visibly impressive results that have included the discovery of untapped community resources, THE CLEAN & BEAUTIFUL SCHOOLS PROGRAM IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE BEAUTY AND HEALTH OF OKLAHOMA’S NEIGHBORHOODS!

Environmental Improvement

It’s always interesting to see what happens when volunteers band together to do something as simple as picking up litter along a major city street on a quarterly basis. In this case, the energetic volunteers of the Meridian Hills Homeowners Association have accomplished far more than the impressive removal of 2100 pounds of litter on a stretch of North Ann Arbor from Northwest 23rd to Northwest 36th in Oklahoma City. They’ve discovered their Adopt A City Street Program efforts also have improved rain flow to the storm drains and they’ve learned how to work with the proper officials to repair sewer lines and repair traffic signs. They’ve even educated the homeowners in their neighborhood on improving the landscaping maintenance along their adopted street. Our judges said their example should be emulated by others. “By accepting individual responsibility for the care and appearance of their neighborhood,” they said, “their actions support their pride.” THE MERIDIAN HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION IS GOOD NEWS FOR OKLAHOMA’S STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS!

Two of those hardworkers are shown during a day of Adopt-A-Street cleanups in their OKC neighborhood. Don Hummer, president of the Meridian Hills Neighborhood Association accepts their KOB award of excellence on behalf of the hardworking group.