Harford County Public Schools is proud to announce that five schools have received 2026 Maryland Green School Awards from the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE).
Dublin Elementary School earned the designation for the first time this year, joining a growing community of schools across the state committed to environmental education and sustainability. Aberdeen High School, meanwhile, is marking its 18th consecutive year of participation in the program, a record that reflects nearly two decades of sustained commitment to environmental stewardship.
Achieving the Maryland Green School designation requires schools to demonstrate and document measurable efforts across four areas: sustainable environmental management practices, environmental education curriculum integration, professional development for staff, and community engagement. Recertification is required every four years, meaning schools must continuously maintain and advance their environmental commitments to retain the designation.
The 2026 HCPS honorees are:
Dublin Elementary School -- First Award (New Maryland Green School)
North Harford Elementary School -- Fourth Award (Sustainable School Status)
Edgewood High School -- Third Award
Bel Air Middle School -- Second Award
Aberdeen High School -- Fifth Award (Sustainable Bronze)
Aberdeen High School's Sustainable Bronze status reflects not just longevity in the program, but continued growth and impact over nearly two decades of participation.
"I am incredibly proud of the students, staff, and families at each of these schools. Earning and maintaining a Maryland Green School designation takes real work and real commitment," said Interim Superintendent Dyann Mack. "These schools are not just teaching environmental stewardship, they are living it every day. Teaching students the importance of sustainability is one of the most valuable things we can do as a school system. When students learn to care for the world around them, they carry that responsibility with them for the rest of their lives. That is the kind of impact that goes far beyond the classroom."
The five HCPS schools are among 702 Maryland Green Schools statewide, representing 40 percent of all public schools in Maryland. This year, 22 HCPS schools participated in the program in some capacity. Collectively, the 2026 class of Green School awardees across the state has saved nearly 2.9 million gallons of water, conserved more than 2.9 million kilowatt-hours of energy, recycled more than 4.5 million pounds of materials, and maintained 292 outdoor classrooms.
For more information about the Maryland Green Schools program, visit maeoe.org.