Green Schoolyards in the News
Since our organization was founded in 2013, Green Schoolyards America has partnered with school districts and public agencies across the United States to establish large-scale living schoolyard programs that transform school grounds into ecologically-rich, park-like green spaces. Our goal is to improve children’s health, learning, and happiness while contributing to communities’ ecological and climate resilience. We center equity in our work and collaborate with communities that have the greatest need for educational, environmental, health, and open space improvements.
We are honored that Green Schoolyards America’s long-term work to bring the living schoolyard movement to scale has been featured in the press! The articles below have helped us share our vision to change the paradigm for school ground design, use, and management, so all children will have access to the natural world in the places they already visit on a daily basis.
Spotlights
© Office of U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich
“Heinrich Introduces Living Schoolyards Act to Create Unique, Healthy Learning Opportunities”
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich
October 4, 2022
In this press release, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico announces that he has introduced the Living Schoolyards Act to the U.S. Senate. Green Schoolyards America worked with the Senator’s office and is quoted.
PHOTO BY PAIGE GREEN, © GREEN SCHOOLYARDS AMERICA
“Schools’ Most Untapped Resource”
Stanford Social Innovation Review
Winter 2019
In this article, journalist Adrienne Day explores Green Schoolyards America’s work to connect ecological innovation with education, equity, and community engagement.
BEFORE - © GREEN SCHOOLYARDS AMERICA
AFTER - © GREEN SCHOOLYARDS AMERICA
“A Vision for Green Schoolyards Across California”
Green Technology Magazine, October 2018
Green Technology Magazine’s Carl Smith interviews our CEO, Sharon Danks, about the need for living schoolyards and our vision for using school grounds to improve the well-being of children, their communities, and the environment across the state, and beyond.
“The Asphalt Jungle"
Podship Earth (podcast), May 2018
Environmental journalist and EPA Administrator Jared Blumenfeld interviews our CEO, Sharon Danks, along with Richard Louv, Wanda Stewart, and others (including children!) in a fantastic podcast about the importance of greening school grounds. These interviews highlight the health-related aspects of the green schoolyard movement.
ARTICLES About our Green Schoolyard Work
2024
“Melrose Leadership Academy Unveils New ‘Green Schoolyard’”
The Oaklandside, April 1, 2024
2023
See also: Press — National Schoolyard Forest System℠
“California Schools to Get More Shade and Nature to Protect Kids From Extreme Heat”
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, State of California, July 13, 2023 (press release)
“How Greening California Schoolyards Protects Kids and the Climate”
KQED, June 29, 2023 (article text and audio)
“Why We Need More Outdoor Education Programs”
Outside Magazine, March 14, 2023
“Reimagining Schoolyards to Improve Health and Learning”
Governing, February 22, 2023
For 2022-23 news, please see also:
Media Coverage for the National and California Schoolyard Forest Systems℠
2022
“Senator Touts Proposed Education Spending, Green Schoolyards”
Taos News, October 13, 2022
“Heinrich Introduces Living Schoolyards Act to Create Unique, Healthy Learning Opportunities”
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, October 4, 2022
“Green Schoolyards: Concrete Jungles Become Natural Playgrounds”
Natural Awakenings, September 30, 2022
“Classrooms Without Walls”
Outside Magazine, Fall 2022
“Investing in Green Schoolyards”
Planetizen, September 20, 2022
“Transforming Schoolyards into Outdoor Learning Spaces to Improve Learning, Health, and the Environment”
EdCuration Podcast, August 26, 2022
“Kids Can Grow with Nature at the Outpost Playscape at Presidio Tunnel Tops”
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: Park Stories, July 15, 2022
“Students Can Decompress in a Garden at a New East Oakland Schoolyard”
Fox 2 KTVU, March 31, 2022
“An Emphasis on Place: The International School Grounds Alliance”
Getting Smart, February 1, 2022
2021
“The Case for Outdoor Schooling: When the pandemic hit, I enrolled my daughter in an outdoor learning-focused school. Now I never want to go back.”
Vox, February 11, 2021
For 2020-21 news, please see also:
Media Coverage for the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative.
2020
“Coast to Coast Episode 17: Leveraging Parks and Public Spaces for Schools During COVID-19”
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, September 8, 2020
"Where the Wild Things Should Be"
Mother Earth News, April/May 2020
“Green Schoolyards: An Interview with Sharon Danks, Part 2 — Our Cities’ Opportunities to Create Thriving Public Land Where Children and Their Communities Benefit"
American Society of Landscape Architects, The Field: Children’s Outdoor Environments Professional Practice Network, February 13, 2020
“Green Schoolyards: An Interview with Sharon Danks, Part 1 — Our Cities’ Opportunities to Create Thriving Public Land Where Children and Their Communities Benefit”
American Society of Landscape Architects, The Field: Children’s Outdoor Environments Professional Practice Network, February 6, 2020
2019
“Opening Schoolyards to the Public During Non-School Hours Could Alleviate the Problem of Park Access for Nearly 20 Million People"
The Trust for Public Land, August 7, 2019
“The Schoolyard is Sick"
Landscape Architecture Magazine, June 25, 2019
“Atlanta’s Schoolyards to Become After-Hours Green Space"
Next City, April 24, 2019
“WHYY Community Conversation: The Push for Playgrounds Brings People Together"
WHYY, February 9, 2019
“Uneven Play: Most Philadelphia Public Schools Don’t Have Playgrounds. That’s Slowly Changing."
WHYY, The Pulse, February 6, 2019
“San Francisco Shares Its Schoolyards, Opening Communities to Green Spaces and One Another’s Lives."
WHYY, The Pulse, February 6, 2019
“Schools’ Most Untapped Resource"
Stanford Social Innovation Review, Winter 2019
2018
“Why Green Classrooms could be the Schools of the Future"
Nation Swell, November 2018
“A Vision for Green Schoolyards Across California"
Green Technology Magazine, October 2018
“How Turning Gray Schoolyards Green Could Help Cities Cool Off"
Mother Nature Network, August 2018
“5 Organizations That Are Transforming Eco Curricula"
Sierra magazine, August 2018
“The Asphalt Jungle"
Podship Earth (podcast), May 2018
“Una enseñanza más rica" (“A Richer Education”, in Spanish)
Para Todos La 2 - Antonella Broglia (video), January 2018
2017
“Transforming Schoolyards, Our Most Abundant Public Spaces"
Forbes, November 2017
“14 People Inspiring a Brighter Future"
Medium, October 2017
“School Grounds: Special Places for the Child and Nature in our Cities"
Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly, June 2017
“Some Schools Trading the Blacktop for Greentop as an Innovative way to Teach Science"
EdSource, March 2017
“Curriculum Review: 2016 Living Schoolyard Activity Guides"
Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly, March 2017
“How Small Steps Can Create Outdoors Experiences In Schools"
Mindshift, KQED News, February 2017
2016
“The Nature-Rich School: How Parents and Teachers Can Support One Another as Natural Teachers"
Vitamin N (book by Richard Louv), 2016
“From Green Schools to Green Communities"
Nature Kids Radio, Episode 10 (podcast), 2016
“Making Mountain View Schools a Little Greener"
Mountain View Voice, February 2016
2015
“Hitched to Everything: Place-Based Learning"
How to Raise a Wild Child (book by Scott Sampson), 2015
“Skolgården en del av stadens ekosystem"
(“Green Schoolyards as Part of the City’s Ecosystem”, in Swedish)
STAD #9, June 2015
“Green Schoolyards America – a Green Thumbprint for Kids in Berkeley"
YourBerkeley.com, May 2015
2014
“Call of the Wild: Do Overprotected Kids Need to “Get Risky” on Playgrounds Like This?"
UC Berkeley Alumni Association, November 2014
“The Green Schoolyard"
Terence Clarke’s blog, September 2014
2013
“A Look at Five Schools That are Taking Learning Back to Nature"
The Globe and Mail, November 2013
“Book Review: Asphalt to Ecosystems”
ASLA’s The Field, January 2013
2012
“American Society of Landscape Architects Honor Award: Communications Category”
ASLA Awards, October 2012
“New Group with Berkeley Roots Aims to Get Kids Outside”
Berkeleyside, April 2012
“Asphalt to Ecosystems – Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation"
Go Green Radio (audio), March 2012
“Dreaming of School Gardens?"
National Education Association, 2012
2011
“Voices From the International School Grounds Movement"
International School Grounds Alliance (video), October 2011
“The Next Crop: Landscape Architects Help Direct Efforts to Make Edible, Sustainable (and Fun) Schoolyards in San Francisco"
Landscape Architecture Magazine, July 2011
“How to Build a Better Playground"
OnEarth, May 2011
“A Planner Who Favors Edible, Eco Education — and Risks"
Berkeleyside, March 2011
“Asphalt to Ecosystems: An Interview with Sharon Danks"
Creative STAR, February 2011
2010
“Nature's Classroom: Eco-friendly schoolyards a space for teaching everything from poetry to nutrition"
Chicago Tribune, October 2010