Over 2,200 people visited the First Green Dream Eco-Friendly Showcase in April 2008 at the Beachwood Community Center. The event was organized by the Beachwood High School Marketing and Junior Achievement (JA) class. The Marketing class used the Junior Achievement Company Program to execute this year-long project. The students assumed all the departments of a company from marketing to finance to operations. Weekly Board Meetings kept everyone on pace and deadlines met.

Beachwood Community Services Director, Karen Carmen, acted as their JA Advisor. “The success of this project is very evident in the collaboration between the City’s Recreation Program and the City Schools, states Carmen.

“By hosting this community event in the Beachwood Community Center, which also happens to be a green building, we can promote the city; our programs as well remind and educate people on how to help the environment.”

The 2nd Annual Green Dream Eco-Friendly Showcase on April 17, 2009 will again bring 77 businesses and organizations together in an expo style to educate visitors about business, product and lifestyle choices that are environmentally friendly. The event is free and open to the public.

In addition to promoting awareness, the students raised nearly $150,000 in donations, products, and services to build "The Ultimate Green Classroom", the national model of a green classroom at Beachwood High School. The Ultimate Green Classroom was designed to create a safe, non-toxic, energy efficient, and sustainable classroom.

By creating the national model of a "green classroom", the students hope to be able to positively affect building a remodeling decisions and to create a working showroom for people to see.

Proceeds from this year’s event will continue to support the Ultimate Green Classroom. Plans are in place to add an exterior classroom complete with a rain garden and solar panels.

For more information, visit www.thegreendream.org.