Mondays with Maria - 10/19/26
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Student Announcers: Hi, I'm Lennon. I'm Jacqueline. And I'm Ethan. And we're from Orlando Gifted Academy. Coming up: how OCPS schools empower students to become problem solvers. And future leaders. When it comes to sustainability.
Announcer: Presented by Addition Financial Credit Union. Here's our OCPS Superintendent, Dr. Maria Vazquez.
Dr. Vazquez: We're on the road again, and today we are at Orlando Gifted Academy to learn more about their award-winning sustainability program. At OGA, they have transformed what it means to be a green school. Additionally, OCPS has a district-wide initiative called OCPS Sustainability 2030. But we will learn more about that later. Now, let's hear from some guests and experts about what it means to be a green school. Take a look. I am joined by David Klawitter, who is a Director of our Sustainability Department. Welcome. So, David, Orlando Gifted Academy is one of only 21 schools nationwide recognized as a green ribbon school. Right? And OCPS has two winners, right? OGA and Horizons West. That's quite a feat for our district to have two out of 21 in the entire country. So, you must be doing a really good job. So, tell us, what does it take, or what does it mean, to be a Green Ribbon School winner?
David Klawitter, Director of Sustainability Office: That's a great question. The Green Ribbon Schools are really the top of the top. When these schools are recognized, they have to go through a series of steps ahead of time. So, they have to win state recognition with the Green Apple Award. And once they receive that, they then compete against every other green school in the state. And then the state selects five of the best to go on nationally, and they have to compete there. So, it's not just one step they went through. They beat many schools along the way to compete nationally and be recognized nationally. And winning this achievement is really significant because these schools have to tie together sustainability indoors, outdoors, in the classroom, with the community and their operations. They have to be really creative to really stand out against the competition.
Dr. Vazquez: I'm so impressed already. And it's really hard work to achieve that recognition. And one of the things that I really love about it is that our schools that are engaged in this work are making an impact right in their community. So, if a school wanted to look at what it would take to get the green school recognition, right? That's something that our district recognizes every year. What are steps that they should be able to take?
David Klawitter: Right. It can seem a little overwhelming, especially if you look at what all these other schools do in our 2030 plan. There's a lot that goes into sustainability, but I always describe it as the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. And if you're familiar with that book
Dr. Vazquez: I am. I love that book.
David Klawitter: Yes. It's a fantastic way to break down and think about achieving sustainability. You don't have to do everything at once; just find your cookies, find that first step that will grow into those next steps. So, I think of a teacher: if they're sitting there thinking about how they can bring sustainability into their classroom or start a garden or just get a recycling team together, that's all you need. You need that spark, and soon you'll find that other people are noticing, other people want to join you, other people want to start their own activities. It starts to build off itself. And the great part is, no school has to do this alone. We're very fortunate at OCPS that we have an office of sustainability that's here. We will show up and dig through the dirt with you. We will give lessons. We will support you. And we have mentor schools.
David Klawitter: So, our previous winners in sustainability will mentor these new schools or schools that have been doing it for a while to give tips, advice, and the perspective of a teacher to another teacher.
Dr. Vazquez: Well, I have seen how much the program has grown over the last few years, and you're right. It starts small, but then every year, you're able to see how each of those schools has built on their first effort. So, this has been incredibly helpful. Thank you for the information, but also thank you for all the support that you provide our schools and for how much the program has grown.
David Klawitter: Yeah. Thank you so much for having me.
Dr. Vazquez: All right, so we're at station two. This is all about recycling, and I have Finn and Ronan here with me to talk about the recycling club. So, you're both students at OGA? Yes? What grade are you in?
Finn, OGA Student: I'm in fourth.
Ronan, OGA Student: Sixth.
Dr. Vazquez: Sixth grade. Okay. And you've been involved in the recycling club. So, tell me what got you interested in it. You can go first.
Finn, OGA Student: It was actually my brother, because he was doing it back when he was in elementary school here, and I thought it was cool and fun, so I decided to join.
Dr. Vazquez: All right. How about you, Ronan?
Ronan, OGA Student: I also thought it sounded cool and, like, it also helped the environment, and I kind of into that.
Dr. Vazquez: So, it was a great match.
Ronan, OGA Student: Yeah, it was a good match.
Dr. Vazquez: Okay, great. So, what are some things that you do at the recycling club?
Finn, OGA Student: We help make sure all recycling gets picked up, and I usually make sure there's nothing that isn't meant to be recycled in the recycling bins.
Dr. Vazquez: Okay. Somebody threw something that wasn't supposed to be in there.
Finn, OGA Student: Yeah. I usually check.
Ronan, OGA Student: We go in groups, and if there's anything that we also, like, do a lot of projects here at OGA. So, if there's anything we can use from there in our projects, we'll do that. I've done that before.
Dr. Vazquez: So, what kind of projects?
Finn, OGA Student: Like, sometimes if we're ever doing a project where you have to make a diorama of something, those would be helpful.
Dr. Vazquez: Oh. Okay, so you're, you're using recycled materials to do a project for school? Oh, okay. Great. So, you've been involved in the recycling club. There are students out there. There are families out there. Could each of you give us one thing you could do at home or at your school to be more sustainable?
Finn, OGA Student: Yeah. I say always make sure to recycle and never put something that's not meant to be recycled in your recycling bin.
Dr. Vazquez: Okay. That's a great tip.
Ronan, OGA Student: I also say if you can reuse it for, like, any other means, like I said with the project or anything else, do that. So.
Dr. Vazquez: Hats off to both of you. I think it's incredible that you're part of this initiative where you are really helping the environment, and it's something that you really like. So, thank you both for being on the show. Yeah.
Dr. Vazquez: So, with me today are two incredible teachers, Ms. Ortiz and Ms. Hubbart. Welcome to the Mondays with Maria show.
Ms. Ortiz and Ms. Hubbart, OGA Teachers: Yeah, thank you for having us.
Ms. Ortiz and Ms. Hubbart, OGA Teachers: Pleasure to be here.
Dr. Vazquez: You two are really driving the work that's been happening here at OGA with sustainability, making sure it's integrated into the curriculum, and of course, the incredible accolades. So, let's talk a little bit about how all of this got started. How did you work with the sustainability standards and get it integrated into the work that's being done here at OGA?
Angela Hubbart, OGA Teacher: So, when I came here a few years ago, I kind of looked around. I had done green schools at my other school, and I was like, "This school has the opportunity to be the green school in the county." So, like, my goal, since I got here, that has been my goal, is to be the green school. We're almost there. So, but it's a group effort. It takes a lot of, you know, collaboration from everybody, having a supportive administration, and then getting the information. Like, people are already doing things, but it's a matter of getting it to me, to get it on the slides, to get it out there. And then once I think people start seeing what's happening, then it's easier for them to share, because they're already doing it. They just might not even know that they're doing it.
Dr. Vazquez: How long have you been doing this?
Angela Hubbart: This will be my fourth year here, and then I think I did it for three years at my other school.
Dr. Vazquez: Oh, wow.
Angela Hubbart: So.
Dr. Vazquez: Great. So you must love this work.
Angela Hubbart: I do. I do. It's rewarding. Yeah.
Dr. Vazquez: All right. So, Ms. Ortiz, we've got what appears to be tools for gardening. Do you want to talk a little bit about what's happening here and your involvement with it?
Gina Ortiz, OGA Teacher: Sure. So, before I came to OCPS, my life was very deeply entrenched in ecology and the environment. And when I came here, there was a, as Angie said, a gap for that. There was definitely a place for it and for it to be really big and awesome here. So with my background, that made me a good choice to run gardening club. So I've been running gardening club at OGA for five years.
Dr. Vazquez: So, we know how important project-based learning is and the impact that it has on student retention, also just teachers' ability to really do amazing things when we're looking at project-based learning, which that's what you're doing. So, what do you think the impact of these initiatives has been on students and on the teachers here?
Angela Hubbart: I think the kids have taken more ownership. They have; they're very proud of their school. Like one of their favorite days, like, so for National Elementary Honor Society, we aren't actually digging gardens. Well, some of them might be, but I'm like you with the fake plant thing. So, we do other things for that, but we do a school cleanup day every year for Earth Day, and that is literally Honor Society's favorite thing that we do. And we do a lot of stuff. So, I think it's just that the kids are very proud of what they're doing. A recycling club, they see what an impact it's making, and they'll be like, "Hey, we're doing this, but we're missing a recycling bin here or there." You know, they just start noticing little things around campus.
Dr. Vazquez: Well, I think that they're learning that part of our responsibility is to take care of our neighborhood, right?
Gina Ortiz: Absolutely. And we see the same thing with gardening club. The kids are just really passionate about doing it. You know, whenever we're out there, and we have the giant sunflowers going, they always want to do the mammoth sunflowers. So we always do the giant, like, 10-foot sunflowers. And whenever the kids are out there working, other kids will stop by, and they say, "Oh my gosh, what, what are you guys doing? How can I join?" You know, and they want to be a part of it. Kids really own it. You know, they, they come in with their ideas and they, they run with it. And then with regard to the project-based learning piece, you know, I do this as a lab with my students. Fifth graders across the state have to make a model of a terrarium or a model of the water cycle every year.
Gina Ortiz: That is a Florida state standard. So, we took something that is kind of different for them and gave them something tangible that they can keep.
Dr. Vazquez: And will remember. Like they're going to remember digging in the dirt, planting. They're going to, they're going to understand the water cycle because they're seeing it
Gina Ortiz: In action. Right. Right. You can already see there's condensation forming inside. And after they sit for a day, they get a model of precipitation because it all starts to, all the water starts to drip down the sides.
Dr. Vazquez: Well, first of all, thank you for all that you're doing to infuse sustainability, not just into the curriculum, but into the hearts of our children so that they really become good caretakers of our planet and they see the value in recycling and gardening, and for the incredible work that you do each and every day. Appreciate you being on the show.
Ms. Ortiz and Ms. Hubbart, OGA Teachers: Thank you. Thank you.
Dr. Vazquez: Thank you to our guests. We are so proud of your recognition, and your work is so inspiring. Next on our podcast, learn more about our OCPS 2030 sustainability program. Don't forget to like, follow, and subscribe. Have a great week.
Gina Ortiz: And we are getting ready to have our first meeting tomorrow, and we would like to plant our first seedlings with you, Dr. Vazquez.
Dr. Vazquez: Oh, boy. I love this. Now, full disclosure, I kill fake plants. So, you're going to have to walk me through. I
Gina Ortiz: I hear you. That's all right. Everybody starts somewhere.
Dr. Vazquez: Okay, and where do you buy these?
Gina Ortiz: So, you can get these at any hardware store. Okay. I like to fill it up to about there. Leave a little bit of room at the top. Okay. And then we're going to go ahead and start with the mammoth sunflower. One of my big eyes.
Dr. Vazquez: Oh my God, those are like regular sunflowers.
Gina Ortiz: They're like regular sunflower seeds. And the seedling will pop through.
Dr. Vazquez: Cool.
Gina Ortiz: Okay. So I like to put about two of these in there.
Dr. Vazquez: Okay. Okay, this is my kind of thing.
Gina Ortiz: And just cover them up super... They don't have to be super covered up. I always put two in the cups just in case there's a dud.
Angela Hubbart: Well, if it's my cup, it probably does have a dud.
Dr. Vazquez: I was going to say that would be mine.
Gina Ortiz: And then the last thing we need is a little bit of water.
Dr. Vazquez: Okay. I think this is where I always go wrong. Yellow leaves, isn't that because you're watering them too much?
Gina Ortiz: Too much, too little. So, we're just going to take these. Okay. And then they'll go on my grow light, and I'll wait.
Dr. Vazquez: On your grow light?
Gina Ortiz: Yeah, I have a grow light in the corner. All right, here we go.
Dr. Vazquez: The whole thing came together?
Gina Ortiz: I had to put it together.
Dr. Vazquez: No, but I mean
Gina Ortiz: Like - Oh yeah, it came with the lights and everything.
Dr. Vazquez: And then how long does it take?
Gina Ortiz: It'll take like four to seven days for them to sprout, and then once they're sprouted a bit, then we can put them outside.
Announcer: For an extended conversation on today's topic, listen to the Mondays with Maria Podcast. Available wherever you get your podcast. Mondays with Maria is presented by Addition Financial Credit Union. Count us in for every step on your financial journey. Learn more at AdditionFi.com. For more OCPS news and information, visit TheSlice.ocps.net. I'm your announcer, Jamir Jones, a student at OCVS. Thanks for watching, and have a great week.