Help Stivers win a $150,000 hybrid bus

School is one of 10 finalists in greenest school contest, needs online votes

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By Anthony Gottschlich, Staff Writer Updated 9:49 AM Monday, March 22, 2010

DAYTON — Stivers School for the Arts, already one of the nation’s top high schools, according to U.S. News and World Report, is among 10 schools nationwide — and the only school in Ohio — to be named a finalist today, March 22, in the America’s Greenest School contest.

Stivers and the other finalists were chosen out of roughly 540 entries representing 1,600 students from across the nation. The entries had to explain in art form what the students would do to make their school a “greener, more eco-friendly place” and how school bus ridership would be a part of that, according to contest sponsor IC Bus, a subsidiary of Navistar Inc.

Stivers, 1313 E. Fifth St., could win a $150,000 hybrid bus and other prizes if it’s declared the winner on or around April 6.

“I’m still shocked, it’s just so unreal,” said senior Prentiss Haney, 17, who directed a video showing the students’ “green” vision for their school.

But to capture the grand prize, Stivers needs the public’s help. From today through April 2, viewers can watch the video and vote for it once a day at AmericasGreenestSchool.com. The school with the most votes wins.

Other prizes for the winner include a $20,000 “green” makeover for the school; $3,000 in scholarship money, $500 for class supplies and a free concert by The Maine, the official band of America’s Greenest School.

Using music, dance, art and poetry, Stivers’ two-minute video delivers a message of energy conservation, recycling and “the undeniable connection between the continuance of life and the color green.” Science teacher Sarah McKitrick said 30 students were involved in the video’s production, but four were instrumental: Prentiss, who plans to study film at Wright State University next year, and three juniors — writer/poet Taylor Kingston, artist Vondell Swain and dancer Kimberly Issac.

The contest is in its second year. “I was flipping through a Family Circle magazine and saw it, and said, ‘Oh, we can do that,’” said McKitrick, who runs Stivers’ Go Green Club with chemistry teacher Hope Strickland.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7408 or agottschlich@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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