In 2009, Irvington High School in Fremont, California was named America’s Greenest School. The school received a hybrid school bus from IC Bus based on the award-winning essay from sophomore Alexander Chen. Chen received a $5,000 scholarship and his teacher Clint Johns, who is also the school’s green coordinator, received $3,000 for green school supplies.

Chen’s essay outlined how his school has become more energy efficient, by reducing the school’s energy use by one third. Irvington High School was the second school in the state of California to be recognized as an Energy Star^SM school because of its efforts to reduce energy consumption by connecting computers to power strips, installing timers on exterior lighting and reprogramming classroom thermostats.