Earth Day (April 22) reminds us of the importance of being good stewards of the planet and our communities. LEDVANCE, the maker of SYLVANIA general lighting in the United States and Canada, is celebrating Earth Day with a school in upstate New York to share easy ways to help support the Earth.
Moe LaLonde is a STEM teacher at Westmoreland Upper Elementary School, home of the Bulldogs, in Westmoreland, New York. “We have made some great environmental improvements due to bringing issues to the forefront and getting people on board, but there is always room for more progress,” said LaLonde. “The students hear about environmental concerns in the media and want to know what they can do to help, which is what we focus on in our Earth Day lessons.”
“When we were brainstorming how to celebrate Earth Day this year, we received an email from Mr. LaLonde to see if we could provide resources for his lessons,” said Wolfgang Mailaender, Head of Marketing for the U.S. and Canada, LEDVANCE. “We thought what he was doing was so fantastic that we wanted to showcase him and his students for their commitment to the Earth and share their advice for supporting the planet.”
LEDVANCE visited the school to hear what the students had learned with Mr. LaLonde as they prepared for Earth Day and brought 1,200 SYLVANIA LED light bulbs so every student and facility member in the school district could have a long-lasting, energy-efficient light bulb for their home. As part of the trip, LEDVANCE brought country singer Jessie Chris, who is the ambassador for company’s “Who Lights Up Your World?” contest. Recently launched with the non-profit Be the Light Campaign, the contest invites the nation to nominate everyday heroes who are sources of light for those around them for a chance to be rewarded and recognized. To see a video of the visit, click here.
LaLonde added, “In addition to supporting the environment, being good to the planet also means being kind to its inhabitants, which is why I am so excited about the contest to recognize those that are sources of light. Here at Westmoreland Upper Elementary, one way we spread light is through our ‘Helping Hands’ group, where students organize activities to support the community.” The light-hearted group has planted trees at school to promote Earth Day and done Spring clean-up of school grounds, and made flower planters to beautify the campus, Westmoreland Bulldog keychains to promote school spirit in the community, and inspirational plaques for sick children.
A victim of bullying while growing up, Jessie has traveled to over 100 elementary and middle schools across the nation, including Westmoreland Upper Elementary, to share her story of overcoming adversity to help students that are dealing with being bullied.
“We have been talking with the students throughout the year about the importance of positivity and being kind,” said Stephen Polera, principal of Westmoreland Upper Elementary School. “Jessie’s message of believing in yourself, even when others don’t, and supporting each other was a perfect way to reinforce our efforts. The kids and teachers were also very excited to be able to have a free LED light bulb that can help their families save energy and money.”
“Our commitment to the environment goes ‘beyond the bulb.’ We’re a company that offers lighting solutions that help save energy, and we’re committed to being environmentally responsible in how we bring those solutions to businesses and consumers,” said Jennifer Dolin, head of Government Affairs and Sustainability at LEDVANCE. “It’s encouraging to hear the Westmoreland students talk about Earth Day – they understand the impact of adopting simple and effective actions for the environment and the community, and they’re already making a difference.”
