Framingham Public Schools
Robert A. Tremblay, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
Rochelle Santos
Media and Communications Manager
Farley Building, 19 Flagg Drive
Framingham, Massachusetts 01702
Telephone: 508-782-6099
For Immediate Release
Framingham Community Members Are Invited to Attend the 2nd Cooler Communities Fair
Thursday, May 11, 2023 (Framingham, MA) Framingham Public Schools (FPS), in collaboration with the Cooler Communities Program and the City of Framingham, is inviting all residents to Framingham’s second Cooler Communities Fair this Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 11am to 1pm at Harmony Grove Elementary School.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but allows event organizers to share updates regarding the event. Anyone looking to attend the Cooler Communities Fair can RSVP by visiting Eventbrite or on Facebook.
The Cooler Communities program is supported by the FPS Office of Equity, Diversity, and Community Engagement, the FPS Community Resource Development Department, students and faculty of various elementary and middle schools, the Framingham High School Environmental Awareness Club and the Framingham Sustainability Committee. Framingham residents and families are encouraged to attend to learn about opportunities to help reduce the community’s carbon footprint and their own utility costs.
“We are thrilled that Framingham is running its second Cooler Communities event,” said Uli Nagel, Director of the Cooler Communities Program at the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation. “Even with schools still having to handle the fall-out from the pandemic, prioritizing education both for students and the public on climate solutions and ways to live healthier and more affordable lives will empower everyone and forge community around a topic that has a big impact on all of our lives.“
Educators and students will be showcasing projects on climate change, energy efficiency, and other related subjects. All projects and topics could be drawn from current/existing curriculum or from ideas in a provided curriculum guide from the Cooler Communities Program. Representatives from Framingham High School; Cameron, Fuller, and Walsh Middle Schools; and Barbieri, Dunning, Harmony Grove, Hemenway, McCarthy, Potter Road, and Stapleton Elementary Schools have signed up to participate! View the Newsletter from Framingham Public Schools for topics and grade levels: https://www.smore.com/5k9te-cooler-communities-fair
"We are extremely excited to have our student projects from both our out-of-school-time (OST) programs as well as our classroom educators and students from our schools," offered Yemi Ajao, Director of Community Resource Development for Framingham Public Schools. "This year’s Cooler Communities Fair is set to be the biggest one that we’ve held yet in Framingham. Framingham Public Schools takes pride in its efforts around matters of environmental sustainability and we look forward to sharing the various forms of education and internal actions being taken to support this cause."
In addition to viewing student projects, attendees will hear from the Framingham Sustainability Committee on various ways to save on energy bills and live in more climate-friendly ways. There will also be free food, ice cream, as well as fun games and activities for children, and an appearance by the Framingham Public Libraries’ Bookmobile.
“With our ongoing work in developing the City’s first Climate Action Plan, this FPS event is an amazing opportunity for us to engage and learn from the creativity of our youth in thinking about solutions to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to our changing climate,” shared Shawn Luz, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Framingham.
"I am proud to support this effort and I applaud the work of FPS and our students," added Aimee Powelka, Vice Chair of the Framingham Sustainability Committee. "The students and their mentors are leading the way to engage their families and our community in conversations around climate action and sustainability."
About Framingham Public Schools
The mission of the Framingham Public Schools is to educate each student to learn and live productively as a critically-thinking, responsible citizen in a multicultural, democratic society by providing academically challenging instructional programs taught by highly-qualified staff and supported by comprehensive services in partnership with our entire community. For news, updates, and announcements, follow Framingham Public Schools (@FraminghamPS) on Facebook, Twitter, and (@framinghamschools) on Instagram. You can also join the conversation using #FraminghamSchools.
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