Ten finalists have been selected out of nearly 2,000 essay submissions as part of a search for the most environmentally-friendly school in the United States, including one Pennsylvania school - Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Pittsburgh, Pa.

 

America now has one week to read the essays and vote at America's Greenest School website for its pick to win the title of America's Greenest School. Votes are limited to one per e-mail address per day from May 11-17.

 

The winning school will receive a plug-in hybrid school bus from IC Bus, which can increase the fuel efficiency of standard school buses by up to 65 percent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40 percent. The hybrid bus has an estimated retail value of $200,000. The student who submitted the winning essay will win a $5,000 scholarship.

 

Those who cast a vote are eligible to receive a $200 gift card to www.GreenAndMore.com, a website for eco friendly products. Three gift cards will be given away each day of voting.

 

"The quality and volume of submissions was overwhelmingly positive. We were quite impressed," said David Hillman, a contest judge and IC Bus, global marketing director. "It is so encouraging to see what schools all over the country are doing to take care of this planet, starting with riding the school bus." The American School Bus Council estimates that every school bus full of kids takes 36 passenger cars off the road.

 

Nearly 2,000 essays were submitted on behalf of more than 760 different schools. Students in New York, Florida, Michigan, Ohio and California submitted the most essays (in that order). Environmental highlights of the essays included the development of bus-riding campaigns, use of solar or wind power, ecosystem preservation projects, student environmental clubs, efforts to reduce energy and water usage, and various recycling programs.

 

Terra Wellington, author of Mom's Guide to Growing Your Family Green: Saving the Earth Begins at Home and representatives from IC Bus, the nation's largest school bus manufacturer, served as contest judges to narrow the field to 10 finalists.

 

Finalist student essays and schools to be voted on include:

-- Alexander C., Irvington High School, Fremont, Calif.

-- Dominik D., Riviera Beach Maritime Academy, West Palm Beach, Fla.

-- Kara D., Asheboro High School Zoo School, Asheboro, N.C.

-- Brianna F., Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School, Pittsburgh, Pa.

-- Amelie H., Sidwell Friends School, Washington, D.C.

-- Bria K., Walden III Middle and High School, Racine, Wisc.

-- Katherine K., Academy of the Holy Angels, Demarest, N.J.

-- Carolyn L., WACO Elementary School, Crawfordsville, Iowa

-- Hilary P., Redmond High School, Redmond, Wash.

-- John T., Morningside Elementary School, Salt Lake Valley, Utah

 

The winner will be announced in early June. Vote now on America's Greenest School.