Community Corner
The Pathway School in Norristown Wins the 2014 Environmental Community Service Award
There are outstanding environmental programs taking place in schools all over the country, and Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP (MGKF) is proud to partner with 6abc and Wawa in recognizing schools in the Delaware Valley for their sustainable efforts to support their communities. Since 2006, two schools per year have won the Environmental Community Service Award (ECSA), each receiving a $5,000 honorarium to further their environmental programs. The goal is to raise awareness of environmental concerns and to recognize middle and high schools for their efforts in service projects that enhance and improve the quality of life in their communities.
The two winning schools this year are The Pathway School in Norristown, PA and South Philadelphia High School working with Lower Moyamensing Civic Association (LMCA). The impressive list of judges includes representatives from The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
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The Pathway School supports children who have complex learning, emotional and behavior needs (including Autism, ADHD, Anxiety Disorder, Learning Disabilities and more.) Their horticultural program began in 1961 as a way to teach employability skills to students. The program has grown from a beautiful garden to a vegetable garden and greenhouse used for cooking, science classes and more.
Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
South Philadelphia High School (SPHS) partners with Lower Moyamensing Civic Association (LMCA) on this program created to address the lack of green space and fresh food options in South Philadelphia. The SPHS garden involves the work of over 200 students in biology, math, culinary arts, engineering, English, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and special education as well. The gardens involve all aspects of the curriculum and have expanded to support many neighborhood programs.
Over the years, there have been numerous applications by schools in the tri-state area, and, once again, the judges and partners continue to be impressed by the applicants. Robert Fox, managing partner of MGKF who was the originator of this award, said, “We are so gratified to see the outstanding work of students and their teachers that demonstrates their interest in the environment and their goal to give back to their communities through these programs.”
Sharing her enthusiasm, Lori Bruce, Public Relations Manager of Wawa, Inc., said, “Wawa continues to be honored by our partnership with the Environmental Community Service Award. We congratulate this year’s award recipients for paving the way for change in their local communities and for their green efforts. At Wawa, we believe we all have an obligation to make the world a better place and we are proud to support the efforts of our local middle and high schools to inspire a passion for the environment and improve their communities.”
Partner 6abc TV’s involvement is crucial to the success of the program as they promote the campaign and produce a story about the students. This year meteorologist Dave Murphy represented the station. He was thrilled to be involved. He said, “I am so impressed that the students come up with such great ideas and are able to execute them. The prize helps them continue to maintain these worthwhile environmental projects.”
About Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP:
MGKF concentrates its practice in environmental, energy, and land use law and litigation. It represents clients ranging from Fortune 100 corporations to small, privately held enterprises, both in the Mid-Atlantic region and on a national basis. For the tenth consecutive year, MGKF has been listed in the top tier for environmental law in Chambers USA-America's Leading Lawyers for Business. Offices are located at: 401 City Avenue, Suite 901, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; 535 Route 38, Suite 145A, Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and at 25 West Third Street, Suite 303, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. For additional information, visit www.mankogold.com or call 484-430-5700, 856-317-1299, or 570-567-7325.
About Wawa, Inc.:
Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, traces its roots back to 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Owner George Wood started a dairy processing plant in Wawa, PA, in 1902. The milk business was a success, due to its quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. In 1964, George’s grandson Grahame Wood opened the first Wawa Food Market in Folsom, PA. Today the company operates more than 600 stores in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida. Wawa is known for its branded products including award-winning coffee and freshly prepared hoagies. Wawa consistently ranks among Forbes’ top 100 privately held companies. “Wawa” is the Lenni-Lenape Indian word for flying goose.
About 6abc:
6abc Action News is the #1 local news brand in the tri-state, and the undisputed news leader for the past 35 years. 6abc.com, the official website of Action News, is also the #1 local TV news website in the market. WPVI-TV is the ABC-owned station serving the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys.
