After Nationwide Vote, Teachers from North Carolina, Kansas and Michigan Chosen for Creating the Most Innovative Lessons in Environmental Education Is there one inspiring school project that will always stick with you? Lessons learned in the classroom often last a lifetime, which is the idea behind the new "Green Your School Fund" created by Tom's of Maine in partnership with Donorschoose.org. Teachers across the country were tasked with submitting classroom projects that help kids care for the planet and learn about pressing environmental issues in their community like air and water quality and sustainable agriculture. A portion of the "Green Your School Fund" was set aside for an innovation challenge, where teachers were asked to come up with exceptionally creative green projects. The top prize of $25,000 in classroom funding goes to a project idea from Cleveland Elementary School in Cleveland, NC. As determined by a nationwide public vote, the winning project teaches students sustainability as they learn to build vertical hydroponic gardens that use a solar powered water system and composted foods left over from student lunches to help the garden thrive. "Providing our young people with real world experiences and ways to solve important problems now will foster a love of learning and give them a competitive edge in becoming future problem solvers," said Lynn Bradley, the instructional technology teacher at Cleveland Elementary School who submitted the project. "We all need a champion to make a lasting impression that validates what we do as educators, whether it is by molding our talents, opening our eyes to a new idea or leading by example. This school year, Tom's of Maine has proven that sharing their passion for environmental stewardship through philanthropy can change the lives of many. Our learning will never be the same!" In second place, receiving $15,000 in classroom funding, is a project submitted by first grade teacher Holly Taylor from Adams Elementary School in Wichita, KS to improve air quality and combat the school's growing asthma problem by having students create air-filtration devices. The third place winner, receiving $10,000 in classroom funding, is a project submitted by sixth grade teacher Lori Barr from Pinewood Elementary School in Jenison, MI, which will allow students to examine bacteria in their local lake and explore ways to make it once again safe for swimming. The other seven finalists, each receiving $2,000 in classroom funding, were submitted by teachers from Ashford School in Ashford, CT; Buddy Taylor Middle School in Palm Coast, FL; Cummings School in Memphis, TN; Ella White Elementary School in Alpena, MI; Nauset Regional Middle School in Orleans, MA; Polo Park Middle School in Wellington, FL; and Sequoia Middle School in Pleasant Hill, CA.