ACHS Partnership Expands Student-Led Sustainability in Oregon Schools

Through a new partnership, ACHS and Eco-School Network will empower Oregon students to lead hands-on wellness and sustainability initiatives.

PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, August 29, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) is proud to announce a new partnership with the Eco-School Network (ESN), an Oregon-based nonprofit that empowers young students and their adult allies to lead hands-on sustainability and wellness initiatives in K-8 schools across the state. This collaboration reflects ACHS’s commitment to advancing community health, environmental stewardship, and equitable access to wellness education.

Through this partnership, ACHS will provide ESN with visibility, professional support, and engagement opportunities to help grow this grassroots movement. In turn, ESN will connect ACHS students, alumni, and community members with school-based changemakers, offering meaningful ways to apply their wellness and sustainability skills in real-world settings.

"We’re excited to partner with Eco-School Network to help expand their reach and strengthen their impact in communities across Oregon," said Ilana Rose Frigaard, Chief Operating Officer at ACHS. "This collaboration creates valuable opportunities for ACHS students and alumni to contribute their knowledge while supporting a generation of young leaders dedicated to building healthier schools and communities."

Eco-School Network is building a critical mass of young changemakers, currently reaching 50,000 students—one in six elementary students in Oregon. The Network trains and supports parents and educators to co-lead student teams that design and lead hands-on projects to make their schools greener, healthier, and more connected.

Prioritizing Title 1 schools in environmentally burdened areas, ESN champions community-led solutions that address injustice and climate anxiety while fostering joy, resilience, and agency. Initiatives include:
-Greener schoolyards with vegetable gardens, outdoor classrooms, and habitats for outdoor learning, improved air quality, and restorative time in nature.
-Reducing food waste and improving food access through share tables, food donation programs, tastings, and educational campaigns.
-Eliminating single-use plastics by replacing them with durable, reusable foodware.
-Promoting active transportation through walking and bike school buses, and traffic calming for safer streets.
-Removing toxic chemicals from school grounds by replacing pesticides with safe methods—this year alone, 65 ESN schools stayed spray-free thanks to 10,000 students and 940 volunteers.
-Centering equity and student voice through advocacy and public testimony that informs district-level climate action policy.


With ACHS’s partnership, ESN will be better positioned to expand these initiatives and engage more families and educators. ACHS students and alumni will have opportunities to:
-Volunteer or intern with ESN changemaker teams.
-Support wellness and sustainability projects in K-8 schools.
-Participate in community events and hands-on learning experiences.
-Gain visibility for their own work within ESN’s 100 school communities.


"This partnership helps us deepen our impact and reach even more schools and communities," said Amy Higgs, Executive Director of Eco-School Network. "We’re thrilled to work with ACHS to equip more changemakers and bring joyful, student-led solutions to life."

For more information about Eco-School Network, visit www.ecoschoolnetwork.org.
To learn more about ACHS community partnerships, visit achs.edu/partnerships.

About ACHS
Founded in 1978, ACHS has been at the forefront of integrative health education for nearly five decades. ACHS has a culture of early adoption of technology, offering fully online classes since 1999, and is continually assessing processes, platforms, and tools that promote learning and cultivate community. As a Certified B Corporation^® and People and Planet First Verified, ACHS is dedicated to advancing sustainable and ethical practices while preparing graduates for success in the evolving wellness workforce.

For questions about this press release or to schedule an interview, please contact Tracey Abell at president@achs.edu.

Tracey Abell
American College of Healthcare Sciences
+1 971-703-5070
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