July 7, 2015—The Collision Repair Education Foundation in collaboration with AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes North America announced on Tuesday the schools that are being recognized for efforts to advance sustainability through their automotive and collision repair programs.

Each school will receive funds from the Sustainability Education Challenge Grant to implement their proposals and report on the success of their projects.

Applications were submitted from schools around the country. The applications were evaluated by the Collision Repair Education Foundation selection committee on the ability to expand awareness of sustainability, advance continuous improvement, and create a positive impact within the community.

The recipients include:

• Applied Technology Center (Rock Hill, S.C.)
• Central Nine Career Center (Greenwood, Ind.)
• Freedom High School (Freedom, Wis.)
• Norwalk High School (Norwalk, Calif.)
• Olathe Advanced Technical Center (Olathe, Kan.)
• Springfield Clark Career Center (Springfield, Ohio)
• Thomas Edison CTE High School (Jamaica, N.Y.)
• Walla Walla Community College (Walla Walla, Wash.)

AzkoNobel initiated the program in 2014 in an effort to support one of the core principles of the global corporation. The goal was to create awareness and educate students on the growing global imperative of sustainability and its ability to make a positive impact in all facets of life.

“We are proud to be aligned with AkzoNobel for a second year on the topic of sustainability.” said Clark Plucinski, Collision Repair Education Foundation executive director.  “This topic, while growing nationally and internationally, is not necessarily one that is routinely thought about in our industry by students and instructors. However, the grant application process encourages both to thinking outside the box and moving the school forward. The ultimate goal is to create awareness within an emerging workforce and the business where they will be employed in the future.”