Three Days Left in Online Vote to Determine $20,000 Grand Prize Winner FREMONT, Calif., June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Small, every day changes can make a big difference to the environment. Irvington High School in Fremont, Calif. has put this idea into practice, and is now among twenty schools from across the country that is being recognized for its efforts: it's been named a finalist in the Walmart "Earth Day Every Day School Challenge." As a finalist, Irvington High School will receive a $500 Walmart gift card, which can be used to purchase items that will help enhance its eco-friendly activities. In addition, the school will have the opportunity to compete for the grand prize: a $20,000 grant from Walmart to further its environmental projects. "At Walmart, we believe that Earth Day should be every day, and small changes can collectively make a big difference for the environment," said Matt Kistler, senior vice president of sustainability, Walmart. "The schools that participated in the 'Earth Day Every Day School Challenge,' especially the 20 finalist schools, are examples of young Americans making a difference in their communities, and Walmart is honored to recognize their efforts." Irvington High School was one of the schools selected by three independent judges (teachers and environmental experts) from among 439 qualified essays, which described the steps taken by each school to help make the world a greener place. Some of the things that Irvington High School has done include: -- Reducing energy consumption by 33 percent (equivalent to 129,000 kWh) - tops in the state - thanks to the Flex Your Power Challenge in 2006 -- Setting backle.com as the default page on computers, since black backgrounds require less energy -- Formation of a student union, known as the Green Advisory, which attends regional meetings with other high schools All finalists who elect to compete for the grand prize must submit a short video (three to five minutes in length) showcasing the environmental activities and projects described in their essays. The competing schools' videos and essays will be posted at http://www.earthdayeverydaychallenge.com/, and through June 19, adults 18 years of age or older can vote for the school they believe should be awarded the grand prize, based on the following criteria (weighted equally): -- Involvement of the student body in initiating/continuing the eco-friendly activities/projects/efforts -- Demonstration of the school's commitment to eco-friendly practices -- Originality/creativity of the eco-friendly activities/projects/efforts The school that receives the highest number of votes will be awarded the $20,000 grant. Voting will end on June 19 at 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time. Individuals must register with the website to cast a vote. For more information about the Walmart "Earth Day Every Day School Challenge - and to see if Irvington High School will compete for the $20,000 grant - please visit http://www.earthdayeverydaychallenge.com/. DATASOURCE: Walmart CONTACT: Jessica Wickliffe, Hunter Public Relations, +1-212-679-6600 Ext. 297, Web Site: http://www.earthdayeverydaychallenge.com/

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