►
From YouTube: Washington Irving Green Space Ribbon Cutting
Description
The grass isn't the only thing that's green at the Washington Irving Middle School in Roslindale. With Mayor Walsh, Boston Public Schools Superintendent Chang, and Principal Davis in attendance, the school debuted its green infrastructure project. In addition to environmental benefits, the project will be integrated into the school's curriculum providing the students with hands-on learning opportunities.
A
We
are
so
excited
to
welcome
you
to
the
Irving
middle
school.
We
are
happy
that
you
have
joined
us
today
to
celebrate
the
official
ribbon-cutting
of
our
this
flagship
project
at
the
Irving.
We
focus
on
cultivating
a
safe
and
engaging
learning
environment
in
which
students
are
able
to
make
their
thinking
visible
through
talk
about
what
they're
learning
through
explanation
and
demonstration
of
their
reasoning.
This
new
green
infrastructure
project
redesign
will
allow
us
to
accomplish
our
mission
each
and
every
day
through
our
physical
education
classrooms
and
our
science
classrooms.
A
Students
will
be
able
to
use
this
space
to
truly
make
their
thinking
visible
about
what
they
are
currently
learning
in
their
classes.
We
are
excited
about
the
endless
learning
opportunities
that
this
new
project
will
help
us
to
do
at
our
school.
This
morning,
I
am
honored
to
welcome
mayor
Marty
Walsh
to
the
podium
to
begin
this
ceremony.
Thank
you.
B
Thank
you
very
much.
Miss
Davis
and
I
want
to
thank
you
for
the
great
leadership
here
that
you
show
at
our
school
how's
everyone
doing
today.
Are
you
supposed
to
be
in
class
right
now,
who's
in
class
right
now,
who's
in
the
class.
So
want
me
to
keep
this
going
for
like
three
hours.
All
right.
Let's
say
let
me
yeah.
Let
me
let
me
just
thank
you
guys
for
coming
out
today.
Guyana.
Let
me
just
introduce
a
few
people.
We
have
the
superintendent
of
Boston
Public
Schools
Tommy
Chang
with
us.
B
Today
we
have
the
executive
director
of
the
water
and
sewer
department,
Henry
vitality,
with
us
today.
Now
what
Henry's
job
is
when
you
guys
get
up
in
the
morning,
and
you
brush
your
teeth.
You
know
when
you
turn
the
water
on
the
water
comes
out,
and
then
you
take
a
shower
and
the
water
comes
out
and
all
that
stuff
you
flush,
the
toilet.
The
water
goes
away.
This
guy
here
is
responsible
for
all
of
that
Henry
of
Italian.
B
So
how
about
a
round
of
applause,
because
it
would
be
tough,
getting
happy
to
get
a
bucket
and
taking
a
bath
out
of
a
bucket
right
like
a
lot
of
our
grandparents
and
our
parents
did
years
ago
in
their
home
country,
so
I'm
gonna
take
them
for
being
here,
the
other
guy!
That's
here
he's
a
state
senator
he
represents
this
neighborhood.
His
grandfather
was
the
principal
at
the
school,
mr.
MA.
So
how
about
a
nice
round?
Applause
for
my
crush.
B
Thank
you,
Mike
and
I
want
to
I,
want
to
thank
and
congratulate
the
Washington
Herrmann
for
being
the
flagship
school
for
green
infrastructure
at
bps.
Now,
let
me
ask
you
guys
a
question
what's
important
about.
Why?
Is
it
important
we
do
what
we're
doing
today,
not
recutting
the
rim,
but
but
think
about
think
about
sustainability,
yeah
yell
it
out
get
a
job
yeah.
Why
else?
Why
is
it
important
for
us
to
watch
what's
happening
in
the
world
in
the
environment
yeah?
B
Make
a
change
yeah!
What's
the
change
we
want
to
make?
What
do
you
want
to
do?
Do
we
want
to
breathe
in
nasty
air
all
day
long?
Do
we
want
to
bring
in
pollute
breathe
in
pollution?
So
we
want
the
the
environment,
the
sea
level,
to
rise
so
that
when
it
goes
up
real
high,
it
wipes
out
houses
and
things
like
that.
But
what
do
we
want
to
do?
B
B
B
B
Yeah
we
need
water,
what
else?
Well,
what's
in
the
water,
the
animals
right
fish,
food
right,
yeah,
no
puppies
in
the
water,
we
have
to
make
sure
the
water
that
we
have
to
make
sure
the
waters
clean.
So
we
can
get
fish
that
feeds
people
right.
We
want
to
make
sure
that
fish
is
healthy,
all
right,
I'm,
completely
off
my
notes
here,
so
I
just
want
to
say
thank
you
too
I'm.
Just
looking
for
my
partners,
I
want
to
thank
you
to
all
our
partners
today.
B
I
want
to
thank
all
of
the
groups
that
are
here.
I
want
to
thank
everyone
that
helped
put
these
boats
together.
I
want
to
thank
everyone
who
helped
build
this
beautiful
space
back
here.
I
want
to
thank
the
school
department.
I
want
to
thank
particularly
I
want
to
thank
miss
Davis
for
all
her
great
work
here
at
this
school
and
I
do
mean
this
think
about
this.
B
For
a
minute,
your
school
is
one
of
the
first,
it's
not
the
first
in
the
country
to
be
do
something
like
this,
so
you're
setting
a
standard
for
the
rest
of
the
country.
Now
you
like
to
be
leaders
right,
you
like
to
win
well,
we'll
win
in
today,
how's
that
all
right,
I'm,
gonna,
I'm
gonna,
turn
the
fault
I'm.
Turning
the
microphone
over
now
to
the
superintendent
of
the
schools.
This
guy
here
is
shot
in
charge
of
all
about
some
other
schools.
And
hopefully
you
know
what
else
is
good
about
climate
change
working
on?
B
C
C
So
I
want
to
take
a
moment
to
just
do
some
thank
yous
myself
only
thank
principal
Davis
for
all
your
hard
work
and
your
dedication
at
the
school
I
want
to
thank
all
the
teachers
and
all
the
partners
who
work
with
the
young
people
at
the
Irving
and
to
all
of
you,
I
want
to
thank
you
for
your
hard
work.
I
know
you
were
almost
at
the
first
month
of
school.
Actually,
we
probably
just
passed
the
first
month
of
school,
so
congratulations
to
all
of
you.
C
I
want
to
acknowledge
State,
Senator
Mike
rush
for
being
here
today.
Thank
you
for
all
your
support
of
Boston
Public
Schools,
and
he
is
a
parent
also,
a
Boston
Public,
School
students
and,
of
course,
I
want
to
thank
executive
director,
Henry
vitality
and
his
team
for
working
with
Boston,
Public,
Schools
and
creating
and
transforming
this
place
based
on
transforming
this.
Actually,
it
was
a
small
space
into
a
play
space
and
this
beautiful
bioretention
area.
C
We
know
that
when
you
are
healthy,
you're,
better
learners
and
the
research
is
very
clear
about
this,
when
students
are
healthy,
they
learn
better
and
also
this
space
has
been
transformed
to
something
that
will
also
benefit
the
environment.
The
Mayor
was
talking
about
this
and
how
many
of
you
were
here
last
year
when
you
saw
this
was
all
asphalt.
Just
raise
your
hand
if
we
were
here
last
year,
and
he
saw
this
Oh
some
of
you.
C
Yes,
the
folks
in
the
back
sell
this
all
this
was
just
asked
fault
now,
you've
got
this
turf
right
and
that
will
support
your
physical
activity.
You
also
have
this
bio
retention
area
in
this
outdoor
learning.
Space
and
you'll
learn
lessons,
especially
in
your
fifth
and
seventh-grade
classroom.
Julie
you'll
get
to
come
out
here
and
have
science
lessons
out
here.
C
It
took
some
creative
engineering
to
pull
this
off.
This
all
used
to
be
a
bus,
drop-off
pick
up
and
drop
off,
and
now
that's
all
being
moved
outside
as
well
and
I
will
add
a
little
bit
to
the
mayor's
science
lesson.
But
that's
okay,
the
water
that
it
that
used
to
come
down
because
of
rain
or
because
of
snow
will
all
drain
to
those
storm
drains
and
then
would
go
out
into
the
rivers
and
the
ocean.
Now
it
actually
stays
all
in
this
area
and
gets
soaked
back
down
to
the
ground.
Why
is
that
better?
C
Yes,
soil
soil.
What
else
might
be
yes,
trash?
Okay,
yes
pollutants,
so
there
are
other
types
of
pollutants
right
that
will
get
into
the
water
get
drained
in
just
drains
and
go
aller
into
ocean.
Now
it
stays
here
and
will
get
soaked
into
the
groundwater.
But
do
you
want
pollutants
in
the
groundwater?
C
C
To
use
were
decomposed,
there
might
be
another
word.
It
starts
to
F,
yes,
no,
almost
filter,
it
filters
a
lot
of
the
putin's
out,
and
so
the
plants
actually
use
it
for
their
own
fuel,
but
the
water
gets
cleaned
and
goes
into
a
groundwater.
So
there's
a
lot
of
great
benefits.
It's
benefiting
you
as
students,
helping
you
be
more
healthy
and
it's
benefiting
our
environment.
So
this
is
a
win-win
right.
It's
a
win-win
for
the
students
and
it's
win-win
for
an
environment.
So
I
want
to
thank
everybody.
C
A
Okay,
you
guys
have
been
a
great
audience.
I
know
it's
cold
out
here,
but
you
guys
are
participating
well,
I'm,
very
proud
of
you.
We're
gonna
keep
going
with
the
program.
It's
gonna
be
a
little
bit
longer
we're
almost
there.
I
am
now
going
to
introduce
mr.
Henry
Vitali,
who
is
the
executive
director
of
the
Boston
water
and
sewage
Commission
to
come
up
and
give
you
a
few
words
about
the
project
and
his
vision
for
the
project.
D
Good
morning
to
all
of
you
and
thank
you
principal
Davis,
for
your
support
with
this
project,
I'd
like
to
thank
some
people.
First
of
all,
I'd
like
to
thank
mayor,
Matt,
Walsh
he's
been
absolutely
incredible
as
it
relates
to
this
project.
It
was
through
his
leadership,
his
narratives
as
far
as
green
infrastructure,
how
important
green
infrastructure
is
to
the
city
of
Boston.
So
we
want
to
thank
the
mayor.
D
I
want
to
thank
Senator
rush
for
all
his
support,
as
it
relates
to
this
project
and
I'd
like
to
identify
a
few
people
from
the
Boston
Warren
to
a
commission
who
were
instrumental
in
the
completion
of
this
project.
John
Sullivan
from
the
Boston
wants,
who
commissioned
our
chief
engineer,
Kate,
England
and
Irene
Snedeker
quickly.
I
just
want
to
identify
that
the
the
goals
of
the
Boston,
Water
and
Sewer
Commission
is
to
provide
Public
Health
to
all
the
people
that
live
in
the
city
of
Boston.
D
We
also
another
goal
when
the
Boston
warrant
sewer
Commission
is
to
protect
the
environment.
And
thirdly,
we
do
everything
we
can
to
educate
the
residents
of
the
city
of
Boston,
particularly
the
young
people.
As
far
as
what
we
do,
we
we
make
sure
every
day
that
we
provide
clean
water
to
all
the
residents
of
the
city
of
Boston
and
the
treatment
of
that
water,
and
this
green
infrastructure
supports
these
three
goals.
D
A
But
it's
love
and
love
here
at
the
RVing
stands
for
living
out
a
vision
of
excellence
and
I'm
just
really
grateful
that
this
project
will
help
us
to
truly
live
out
a
vision
of
excellence
in
our
classrooms
and
our
students
each
and
every
day.
So
we
are
really
grateful
for
the
gesture
of
love
from
all
of
you
who
have
made
this
project
possible.
So,
let's
just
give
a
round
applause.
All
people
have
made
this
project
possible.
A
A
A
Also,
while
we
are
getting
set
up,
our
partners
of
tenacity
are
here
with
us
today
and
they
also
really
benefit
from
this
space.
Tenacity
is
a
nonprofit
organization
that
works
with
schools
around
tennis
and
literacy
instruction,
and
so
we
are
excited
that
we
finally
have
a
space
to
be
able
to
really
do
our
program
well
and
partner
with
tenacity.
So
thank
you
to
tenacity.
A
So
we
are
just
really
grateful
as
a
school
community
for
this
no
words
can
really
express
how
our
students
feel
these
are
sixth
graders,
so
they
don't
really
know
our
school
any
other
way,
but
our
older
students
definitely
remember
this
being
just
asphalt
and
nothing
beautiful
back
here.
So
we
are
very
grateful
to
the
city
into
a
mirror
wash
for
this.
B
Let
me
just
say
this:
we
love
this
school
and
we
love
all
of
you
and
we
want
to
make
sure
that
when
we
do
projects
like
this,
that
this
is
about
your
future
and
making
sure
that
everyone
here
gets
a
chance
to
live
out
your
dreams.
So
I
know
that
well
as
I
look
out
here,
that's
gonna
be
a
state
senator
here
that
could
be
present.
United
States
of
America
here
may
be
the
first
one
in
president
United
States.
Hopefully
we
have
one
before
then,
but
we'll
see
so
you
never
know
who's
here.