Greater Greener Newnan Saturday
From Staff Reports
news@newnan.com
The fifth annual Greater Greener Newnan Festival is Saturday at Ashley Park and includes a community electronics recycling event.
Coweta Performance Learning Center students are preparing a big celebration for the fifth annual festival, which will run 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The festival is part of a student-led public awareness campaign designed to educate the public about how and why to reduce their ecological footprint.
“We are excited about the great support from our local business community, the Coweta County School System, and others that makes this fifth year for the event possible,” said Mark Whitlock, CEO of the school system’s Central Educational Center in Newnan. “Our sponsors participate in the students’ authentic learning experience and provide other support.”
It is the goal of the students in the Performance Learning Center to give the community the information and the tools they need in order to reduce their ecological footprint. Students provide recycling tips, as well as easy access to services like recycling and displays of products that are energy efficient.
“We are really turning our focus on the educational value of the games and the exhibits this year,” said Polly Haugen, PLC facilitator. “We want to make a lasting impression on our visitors, increasing awareness of the need for life changes. Then, as usual, we try to make it easier for people to make those changes.”
All of the local high schools have joined in Coweta Performance Learning Center’s efforts. This year, they are more involved than ever, Haugen said. “We are enthusiastic about our joint effort and look forward to greeting and educating our community,” she said.
Initially funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Performance Learning Center is now a part of the Central Educational Center charter. Students at PLC are taking advantage of the unique opportunity to earn back credits at a faster rate than normally afforded in a regular school setting.
