COLRAIN — Colrain Central School’s reusable bag program and efforts to replenish the local trout population are garnering attention from Project Green Schools, a Plymouth-based organization that seeks to develop the next generation of environmental leaders.

Project Green Schools has named Colrain Central School a 2020 Green Difference Award winner in the Land, Air, Natural World category for its project to replenish the trout population in the North River after a September sulphuric acid spill killed tens of thousands of fish, and in the Waste Management category for its reusable bag program.

According to a Colrain Central School press release, the school was nominated for its service learning initiatives that directly tie students to real-world application and problem-solving in their own communities. The service learning initiative began two years ago as a way to give real-world context to the academic content taught in the classroom.

“Being recognized for not one, but two of our projects is amazing,” said Colrain Central School Principal Amy Looman. “These awards help to honor and showcase the hard work of our staff, students and community partners. Our students can see first-hand that they don’t have to wait until adulthood to make a difference in their community.”

Looman said service learning provides students with the opportunity to work as problem-solvers with community partners to find solutions. This real-world application of problem-solving puts students in the driver’s seat with their learning and helps to build a strong sense of community.