El Vista Elementary School

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Welcome to El Vista's Sustainability Hub!

We are dedicated to fostering environmental awareness and responsibility among our students. Through engaging activities and initiatives, we strive to empower young learners to become stewards of the planet, making positive contributions to their community and beyond!

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Teacher Coordinator

Onsite Air Monitor

Electric School Buses

ENERGY STAR® Score

Science Club⚡🌎🌞🐟🦋

El Vista's Science Club students shared their Salmon Project discoveries and connection with campus recycling during the City of Modesto's Earth Day Event at Graceada Park!

Students made informational poster boards taught communities members ranging from 3 years old to elderly that:

Fish and marine animals get sick from eating plastic waste.
When we eat fish, we might also consume plastics.
Beverage and consumer products companies are big plastic producers in oceans.
Common plastic polluters include single-use bags, bottles, and other household products.
Students suggested eco-friendly alternatives like laundry soap sheets, shampoo bars, and compostable bags.
These alternatives help reduce plastic waste and save space.

Join our Science Club to learn about our community and create solutions for a healthier planet!

Teacher Coordinator

In March 2023, the Board approved "Sustainability Teacher Champions" funding at all 34 school sites to establish and lead environmental initiatives. At El Vista Elementary, Suzanna Tornberg took on the challenge in addition to her other roles on campus. Sustainability Leads will form environmental clubs and guide students through projects focusing on: energy conservation, waste reduction, and air monitoring.

Contact: Suzanna Tornberg

Teacher Resources

Earth Day in the Park 🌎

El Vista Science Club Students created posters demonstrating microplastics' circular impact on fish and humans. Students also collaborated with one another to think of everyday solutions to reduce plastic waste!

El Vista students presenting a project at City of Modesto's Earth Day event 2024

Science Club students sharing their project with community members at City of Modesto's Earth Day Event!

💡Energy Conservation

A full-time Energy Education Specialist contracted through Cenergistic monitors El Vista's utility bills and conducts in-person audits to verify HVAC run times and proper lighting usage. The specialist also helps optimize systems to ensure they run efficiently.

Cenergistic provides ongoing training and support, including student engagement opportunities such as "Energy Audits" and "Utility Bill Review." Visit the District Energy Conservation page to learn more!

If you would like more information about this program, contact the Director of Sustainability, Gilbert Blue Feather Rosas, at Rosas.G@mcs4kids.com.

MCS ENERGY STAR® School 2023

Modesto City Schools participates in the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Certification Program. School sites are evaluated and receive a score ranking. A minimum score of 75 means that school is in the top 25% of comparable buildings. In 2023, El Vista Elementary received a score of 88.

View El Vista's Energy STAR® Profile

Air Quality and Health

UC Merced and CCAC Study📚Purple Air Monitor Program

An air quality monitoring project partnership is underway with UC Merced professor Dr. Asa Bradman and the Central California Asthma Collaborative (CCAC)! MCS received 35 Purple Air Monitors from UC Merced in the fall of 2023 and installed a monitor at all 34 school sites, plus the Transportation Yard. To learn more about the UC Merced air quality research programs, visit: https://healthyair.ucmerced.edu.672elmp01.blackmesh.com/

Through its SJVAir project, CCAC has deployed over 400 air monitors across the San Joaquin Valley. All of our Purple Air Monitors were calibrated by CCAC, and through its network, you can sign up for text alerts or use its mobile app to receive alerts about the air quality around your school!

What do the Monitors Measure???

The air monitors determine the air quality based on tiny particles called particulate matter (PM) 2.5, which means that it is particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller! Although PM 2.5 is not visible, when there is a lot of it in the air, it becomes a problem because we can inhale them deep into our lungs, which can cause or exacerbate asthma and other health problems in children, the elderly, and those with other respiratory (breathing) and heart conditions. The Central Valley has some of the highest PM 2.5 levels in the United States!

We hope to initiate after-school programs and involve environmental clubs and classes in the monitoring and tracking process.

Through consistent tracking, the air monitors will develop a baseline for emissions and local air quality. Students can use software like Excel to find correlations in air quality due to site location and surroundings, weather, time of year, and even time of day. Air monitors will gauge the annual difference in air quality levels from the baseline. Those results will be posted on the district’s Sustainability webpage as data is collected.

No Idling Campaign

Idling vehicles create unnecessary, harmful pollution that affect students’ health. The message is simple: While you wait for your child, please turn off your engine. Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it.

Resource: Healthy Air Living Schools Program Additional Materials

San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District: Real-Time Air Advisory Network

RAAN uses actual, real-time air-quality data taken directly from the nearest air monitor to help you evaluate air quality and determine the right time for outdoor activities. It also provides Real-Time Outdoor Activity Risk (ROAR) guidelines based on five different air-quality levels.

Look up current air quality near you!