Midland is a college prep school located in Los Olivos, Santa Barbara County, California. And that might lead one to think it's just another of the elitist boarding schools there for the rich. But that would be wrong. Very wrong.
Follow me after the fold to see how a school that's been, "Thinking Ahead Since 1932" is teaching its students real environmentalism.
Midland School is situated on 2,860 acres, 8 of which are dedicated to its organic farm, while another large parcel is dedicated to the schools outstanding grass-fed beef program. They also raise swine and have hens for their eggs, all on a 100% natural diet. All this beef, swine, eggs and produce, is for the consumption of the students and faculty. I wish we could all eat this well!
But Midland's environmentalism does not begin and end with it's farm.
The Sophomore chemistry class installs and maintains solar arrays that provide electricity for the school.
Yes, at Midland they believe in, and teach real science, (I'm looking at you, Texas).
There's more, but let's get to the award.
Los Olivos, CA—Midland School, an independent college preparatory school founded in 1932, received a 2009 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA). Midland was the only school among 15 organizations honored on September 30, 2009, at the Governors’ Global Climate Summit 2 in Los Angeles, California.
About GEELA:
The Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards program was established in 1993. The award program is administered by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Natural Resources Agency in collaboration with the State and Consumer Services Agency, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
Kudos to you Midland! This is the kind of education our children should all receive.
Now for the full disclosure part. Our daughter is a freshman at Midland. We had never even thought about a boarding school before, but our daughter asked us about it, and with the help of the Google, found Midland herself. When we visited, she knew right away this was the place for her, and so did we. It was very tough sending her off, but when we visited her last weekend, we found our child so happy, so involved with her school and classmates, and in a really great frame of mind, this time it was a lot easier to drive away. Here she is with us last weekend:
and with a wire self portrait she made in art class from one piece of wire