PROJECTS

The results are in! United Green CORE’s grant-funded Native Plant Olympics has concluded, and we’re proud to celebrate the students and schools who took part in this youth-led climate education competition.

🏆 The Traveling Trophy, earned by students competing on behalf of their schools, goes to the top three teams:

 1st Place: George Washington Elementary School
2nd Place: Highland Middle School
3rd Place: White Plains High School

Students across Westchester County planted, nurtured, and grew Bee Balm to impressive heights in this first-of-its-kind, hands-on climate education initiative. Through friendly competition, students explored how native plants support pollinators such as bees and butterflies—and why pollinators are essential not only to healthy ecosystems, but also to the food systems we rely on.

Through this project, students learned to:

• Understand how native plants support local biodiversity 
• Recognize the role pollinators play in food production and ecosystem health
• Develop practical planting and care skills through hands-on learning
• Engage in collaborative, project-based science education
   

Each participant received a certificate and commemorative coin in recognition of their efforts. Their dedication reinforced an important lesson: healthy pollinators support healthy ecosystems—and healthy ecosystems help sustain our food and communities.

We’re grateful to the students, families, educators, and community partners who made this project possible, including:

• The City of White Plains Mayor’s Office
• The Youth Bureau
• White Plains School District
• Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund
   

📸 Visit our blog post for photos and project highlights.

August 2025

Status: In Progress — Winners to be announced end of September 2025

The first-ever Native Plant Olympics, a student-led environmental competition in White Plains, is underway and approaching its exciting finale.

• Participation: White Plains students plant on behalf of 9  district schools.
   
• Activity: Students have been planting and caring for a mystery seed, recently revealed as bee balm — a pollinator-friendly native plant
   
• Challenges Overcome: A severe early-season storm destroyed many of the first seedlings, but students replanted, showing resilience, teamwork, and dedication
   
• Educational Impact: Participants are gaining hands-on lessons in ecological awareness, native plants, and climate action — while proving that nature can be part of a fun, student-led competition
   
• Next Milestone: Plant measurements will be finalized and winning schools announced at the end of September. Traveling trophies and recognition from community leaders will follow.
   

The Native Plant Olympics is already sparking excitement and setting the stage for an innovative, youth-driven model of climate action in White Plains.

April 22, 2025

We are pleased to announce that we have received an invitation from the Youth Climate Action Fund and the Mayor's office to showcase our projects at their upcoming Earth Day event.  

February 11, 2025

Good news! Grant approved for "The Native Plant Olympics" and "Solar Bench" project. Our vision of collaborating with the community, business, and government is coming to fruition. Thank you to all who supported us. 

More details will be provided as the city prepares our contract.

February 04, 2025

We were invited by the City of White Plains to submit our application for a grant to help combat climate change.  

This opportunity allows the City to fund micro-grants to rapidly launch and support youth-led climate initiatives - like us!. 

Wish us luck!

Arbor is making waves in our community! 👏

Through her dedicated efforts, Arbor is inspiring and guiding our youth towards environmental stewardship. Her work is planting seeds of change that will grow into a more sustainable future.

"Round of Applause" 👏 

Board of Directors Arbor is participating in the "Cleanup Your Happy Place on Coastal Cleanup Day" initiative. You can, too! 

Whether it's a beach, a park, or any outdoor space you cherish, let's unite to keep our community beautiful. 

Every piece of litter collected matters. Your effort, no matter how small, contributes to a cleaner, healthier environment for all of us and the wildlife we share it with. 

🌊🌳 

We are 100% of our targeted 100 plastic items.  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/127A0WHon8dRLegbatFenk7Q5aEEYV7WmAc1px0AGwfM/edit?usp=sharing  

The majority of our plastics are not properly labeled or recycled. Over 90% end up in our environment, inadvertently becoming hazards to all life.

We believe education and action on policy are the keys to a healthier future.

 We are actively collecting and cataloging plastics that have the potential to become pervasive in our society and harm innocent animals.   Scientific evidence also shows microplastics and nanoplastics have infiltrated our tissues.  Plastics do not discriminate based on social stratification; they affect all members of society.