Green School advocate from India to visit U-46 students Monday

On Monday, April 4, an award-winning educator, mentor and environmentalist from India will talk with students and the community about sustainability and how a healthy environment plays an important role in education.

The event is a follow-up to Elgin High School's popular series of February "Biodiversity" webinars featuring international experts, from activist, filmmaker and founder of EarthEcho International Philippe Cousteau to wildlife biologist Dorie Stolley.

More than 35,000 participants from 35 states and 17 countries registered for the webinars, dubbed a "National Biodiversity Teach-in."

After learning about the Teach-in, Virendra Rawat, an award-winning educator from India, reached out to Elgin High School's environmental science teacher Deb Perryman to meet with her students on Monday, April 4.

Rawat is a founder and advocate of the green school movement in India.

"The entire visit is really exciting for us," said Perryman. "We have an opportunity to exchange ideas with a sustainability expert and award-winning educator from the other side of the world."

The green school movement creates awareness about environmental issues and helps students connect with their surroundings and planet. In 2010, the first green school was launched in India.

Rawat transformed conventional schools in South Asia to green schools as a social experiment to educate students about climate and the environment.

From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Rawat also will speak to interested citizens about creating sustainable communities through green school initiatives at Gail Borden Library, 270 N. Grove Ave. in Elgin. He believes that a sustainable future is best achieved through inquiry and direct action in solving community problems.