The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) is pleased to announce that Hickory Environmental Education Center is recognized as a Sustainable Bronze 2025 Maryland Green Center. Maryland Green Centers support Maryland Green Schools and are part of a global community of sustainable green schools. There are 693 active Maryland Green Schools, 39% of all Maryland schools. There are 40 active Green Centers.
Hickory Environmental Education Center received certification as a Sustainable Maryland Green Center after demonstrating and documenting a continuous effort to integrate sustainable environmental management practices, environmental education curriculum, professional development opportunities, and community engagement into daily operations. The award signifies their commitment to developing stewards of the earth and reducing the school’s impact.
“Green Schools provide engaging and effective instruction by integrating environmental learning across all subjects. The results are powerful—we see students leading composting programs, conserving energy, joining environmental clubs, and advocating for what is important to them. These stories give us hope. They remind us that when young people are empowered with knowledge and a connection to the world around them, they become the change makers we need—not just for the future, but right now,” says Laura Johnson Collard, Executive Director of the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE).
These schools are models within our state and in the U.S. Students want to participate, whether it is part of classwork or they initiate a project in a green club. Students are encouraging others to make a difference.
MAEOE will celebrate with Green Schools, Green Centers, and schools interested in knowing more about the program at the annual Maryland Green Schools Youth Summit in May.
About MAEOE: MAEOE is a non-profit organization. MAEOE’s mission is to encourage, engage and empower the community to understand, responsibly use and promote the natural world. MAEOE’s Maryland Green Schools Program celebrates 25 years in 2024. For a complete listing of Green Schools and Green Centers visit www.maeoe.org .