For the third consecutive year, Colonial Trail and Rivers Edge Elementary Schools have been recognized as Virginia Naturally Schools for their efforts to promote good stewardship of Virginia's natural resources during the 2009-10 school year.

During the past year, Colonial Trail Elementary School increased recycling material options and celebrated the 40th anniversary of Earth Day with a school-wide “Spring Eco Fest.” The school assembled the first fifth-grade Green Team and started an Elmer’s Glue Crew Recycling Program.

Rivers Edge Elementary School sponsors "paperless days" to encourage hands-on activities that save approximately 3,000 sheets of paper. Student leaders serve on a "Green Team" to collect recycling bins each week.


The Virginia Board of Education has recognized the Virginia Naturally School program as the official environmental education school recognition program for the state. This program recognizes the efforts of many Virginia schools to increase the environmental awareness of the state's youngest citizens. Virginia Naturally Schools must meet specific requirements that increase with each successive year a school achieves this recognition.

Schools receiving this honor have qualified in several areas including: administrative support, staff development and curricular integration, resource conservation efforts, and school/community based projects. Additional requirements for schools qualifying beyond the first year include: documentation of efforts to secure library materials/equipment; developing instructional settings/outdoor classrooms; and developing community partnerships with area businesses, parent/teacher organizations, and civic groups.