ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) — The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is honoring four area schools for including environmental literacy in their curricula through the Virginia Naturally School Recognition Program.

This year, the Commonwealth’s official environmental education school recognition program honored 118 schools, representing 43 school systems, were recognized for their exemplary efforts undertaken to increase environmental awareness and stewardship among K-12 students by hands-on, real-world learning that takes place in the classroom and meaningful field experiences beyond the classroom.

The Commonwealth’s official environmental education school recognition program recognizes exemplary efforts undertaken to increase environmental awareness and stewardship among K-12 students by hands-on, real-world learning that takes place in the classroom and meaningful field experiences beyond the classroom.

Local honorees include Linville-Edom Elementary and John Wayland Elementary schools in Rockingham County, and Bessie Weller Elementary School and the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in the Staunton area.