Opelika High School Career Tech instructor Judy Eldred received the 2024 Runner Up Green Award recognizing her commitment to increasing the high school’s sustainability and waste management program. The national award is sponsored by the United Soybean Board and the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education.

Eldred addressed sustainability and waste management in a hands-on way through a mutually beneficial partnership with the agriculture program. The agriculture program provides farm-to-table ingredients, including an aquaponics set-up that grows herbs, lettuce and market-size tilapia. They also provide the culinary arts program with seasonal produce and eggs. In return, the culinary program provides items for composting. 

Their goal is to foster a culture of environmental stewardship and corporate social responsibility among students while increasing awareness about the origin of food. Various school events have provided the program with a platform to demonstrate their collaborative endeavors with local community members and industry leaders. As a result, they have received donations to the program and created job opportunities for some students.

Click here to go back to the 2024 CAFÉ award recipients list.