MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Honored with National “Difference Makers Award” for Green Schools Leadership

From left to right: Glenn Cummings, Director of Green Schools, Maine DOE; Abigail Hayne, Maine Youth Climate Engagement Coordinator, GOPIF; Robin Sidman, Executive Director, Project Green Schools; Dan Chuhta, Deputy Commissioner, Maine DOE; Michael Isenberg, Board Co-Chair, Project Green Schools

This award from Project Green Schools recognizes the collaboration between the Maine DOE and GOPIF on the Green Schools Initiative. 

Washington, D.C. – The Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF) were recognized nationally today with the 2025 Difference Makers Award for their groundbreaking collaboration on the Green Schools Initiative, an ambitious statewide effort to support Maine schools in improving energy efficiency, saving public funds, and reducing pollution in the state’s pre-K through grade 12 schools.  

Presented in Washington, D.C. by Project Green Schools, a nonprofit developing the next generation of environmental leaders, this award celebrates Maine’s visionary leadership in aligning education and environmental policy to improve math, science, and social studies results, reduce pollution emissions, and build climate-resilient school communities. 

“Maine educators, students, and school leaders are already making climate-smart choices every day,” Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin said. “This award belongs to them. They are not only embracing clean energy and sustainability; they are preparing for the future by leading with purpose and urgency.” 

“This honor is a credit to the students and educators leading the charge on climate action in Maine, helping their schools and communities to build a healthier environment and economy for the future,” GOPIF Director Hannah Pingree said. “I thank the Maine Department of Education for their partnership in this important initiative, which is fostering the next generation of climate leaders to meet our ambitious climate goals.”

“We applaud the State of Maine for setting high standards when it comes to engaging students, schools, citizens, and industry leaders in environmental solutions for a healthier future,” Robin Sidman, Founder and Executive Director of Project Green Schools, said. “Maine is among our nation’s most innovative and impactful Green Schools Leaders honored today at the 2025 Green Difference Awards Ceremony.” 

Launched in 2022, the Green Schools Initiative is a first-of-its-kind partnership between the Maine DOE and GOPIF. It focuses on practical and strategic investments—such as energy technical assistance, curriculum development, and student-engaged sustainability planning—that support Maine schools and communities across the state. 

Key accomplishments of the initiative include Maine’s first statewide Climate & Me Youth Leadership statewide convening, new tools for tracking school-level environmental data, and ongoing planning for a Green Schools gathering to be held in November of 2025. Bipartisan legislative support has also played a crucial role though supporting energy efficiency, community resilience, outdoor learning for all Maine students, and air quality improvements throughout the state’s public schools.  

The Maine DOE and GOPIF also acknowledge national and state partners, including the Maine Environmental Educator Association, Maine Outdoor School for All, Slipstream, Ten Strands, and the U.S. Green Building Council, whose research and policy guidance have helped to accelerate Maine’s climate education efforts.