STA Earns Missouri Green Schools Recognition

October 5, 2023

Today, St. Teresa’s Academy, Kansas City’s premier all-girls’ school, became the first Kansas City-area high school to earn Missouri Green Schools (MGS) recognition. The Academy achieved “Sprout” status for its advances in sustainability efforts. STA is one of 18 schools statewide to be recognized by MGS this year, and the only one in the Kansas City area.

Schools with Sprout status are honored for involving school administrators, establishing benchmarking and tracking measures, and setting goals to further advance green and healthy practices. This recognition is the result of a recent school initiative – the STA Green Team – which is a partnership of constituents focused on environmental sustainability. This partnership consists of students, faculty, staff, parents, alumnae, community members and organizations. Environmental stewardship is a key component of STA’s strategic plan, which includes Sustainability of a Vibrant Catholic Academy as one of its pillars.

The STA Green Team was established last year based on interest from students in expanding the environmental foundation laid by our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, when they established the school’s 20-acre campus south of the Country Club Plaza in the early 1900’s. The sisters had a vision to create an area that would facilitate healthy learning, development and growth in young women, and inspire them to care for the environment.

The MGS recognition is one of many steps the Academy is undertaking to set achievable goals and make meaningful progress toward a more sustainable campus. Other student-led, campus-based initiatives include, among others, the Kansas City area’s first working, school-based apiary (collection of bee houses), a pollinator garden, the Environmental Club, and the Stars for Sustainability extracurricular group.

Earlier this year, STA was named Kansas City’s Best High School by a community vote conducted by the Kansas City Star, and the Academy recently earned Gold status in the AP Honor Roll, signifying excellence in academics and preparing students for success in higher education.