Pittsburgh Public Schools honored with regional Beacon Award; district highlights water filters, electric buses and student Envirothon success
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Summary
At the May 28 board meeting Pittsburgh Public Schools received recognition for sustainability and student wellness, detailed recent facilities and fleet investments, and honored students and paraprofessionals for regional competition results and volunteer work.
Ebony Pugh, speaking at the May 28 Pittsburgh Public Schools board meeting, presented a special recognition segment after the pledge of allegiance noting the district had received a Beacon Award from the Green Building Alliance. “Tonight tonight we celebrate the individuals and teams who go above and beyond to make our district and our world a better place,” Pugh said.
The board heard that the Beacon Award, presented at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, recognizes leadership in green building practices and environmental stewardship. Pugh described district investments the award highlights, including the installation of 904 lead-filtering drinking fountains, 391 bottle-filling stations, the addition of 16 electric school buses and the construction of an aquatic therapy pool at Pittsburgh Pioneer.
Pugh also recognized staff credited with technical leadership on sustainability projects—Michael McNamara, Sanjeet Mandahar and Stephen Connell—and praised districtwide efforts on energy and water efficiency upgrades, recycling protocols and green-certified cleaning methods.
The presentation included student recognition: a high school team from Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy placed second in the Allegheny County Envirothon. Pugh read the students’ names—Eve Nesbeth, Delaney Pudrup, Erica Ryle, Bridal Bard and Ian Leeson—and acknowledged their coach, Melissa Diaz, for leading the team’s preparation and fieldwork. “Their dedication, preparation, and curiosity earned them second place among schools competing in this county wide event,” Pugh said.
The board also honored two paraprofessionals from Conroy—Kim Clinger and Heather Cato—who were named volunteers of the month by Special Olympics Pennsylvania, 3 Rivers Region. Pugh described an incident in March when the pair drove a student to Nashville so he could attend a Special Olympics invitational after a flight issue, saying their willingness to ensure student participation “represents the very heart of our district.” Dr. Wayne Walters, superintendent of schools, is scheduled to present each with a superintendent’s challenge coin.
No board action or vote was taken on the presentation items; the segment was a ceremonial recognition and did not include policy proposals or approvals.
The recognitions underscore the district’s stated emphasis on sustainability upgrades and student supports and highlight student extracurricular achievement in countywide environmental competition.
The board returned to business after the presentation.