The Academic Courtyard at Germantown Academy

GA's Academic Courtyard connecting the Middle and Upper School to the outdoors, was reconfigured in March 2013 to reflect the five habitats that a person would travel through when driving from Fort Washington to the New Jersey shore - they are; Piedmont Forest, Short grass meadow, Atlantic White Cedar Swamp, Pygmy Pin-Oak Plains, Pine Barrens Bog.  The last three will be installed on the lower level during the summer of 2014.  While designed with the intention of enhancing research curriculum in the sciences, many students across the school and studying in an variety of disciplines can be found working in the space.  From art students making perspective drawings, to young poets using prompts from nature, the courtyard offers faculty and students alike a way to connect with the outdoors and curriculum in meaningful ways.

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The Green Ambassadors

Green Ambassadors is a 4th through 12th grade club designed to give students the opportunity to be environmental activists and good citizens to the earth. Working with faculty in each division to design and tend to green spaces on campus, these students are helping to bring sustainable agriculture to the community along with a sensitivity to sustainable use of all our campus spaces.

Since its inception in September 2012 our students have participated in opportunities as varied as creating the process and evaluation for green classroom certification in the lower school, giving tours of the greens spaces on campus, and even becoming apiarists.  We will be detailing the work of this group throughout the year on this blog so check back often to see our progress.