PINEVILLE — Many older buses in the Bell County School system are soon to be retrofitted with cleaner running technology to minimize the guzzling black smoke commonly seen on more archaic models. Thirty-four buses will begin getting the makeover this summer, done in time for next school year.

But to go green, Bell Co. schools first had to get the green.

Gina Johnson, Bell Co. School’s grant writer, was already in pursuit of environmentally positive grants as part of a new priority for Bell Co. schools. She applied and was awarded Kentucky’s Clean School Bus grant — just under $50,000 — which comes from federal stimulus money administered through the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Division for Air Quality (DAQ).

In the grant, Johnson made it clear the new objectives of the school system.

“The Bell County Board of Education is committed to adopting policies and practices that address a three-pronged goal of reducing air pollution from vehicle exhausts, cutting down on noise pollution and conserving energy by encouraging drivers engines to eliminate unnecessary idling,” she wrote to the Kentucky Division of Air Quality.

Johnson said the Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOCs) are “proven to help students with allergies and asthma.”

“It is a health benefit for us,” she added.

The grant was not a shoe-in. Bell Co. schools were competing with many other counties.

“There were only six (counties) that got it,” said Johnson. “We competed with much larger districts.” She said that more school systems can still apply for the money.

Johnson said the school’s Director of Finance Steve Silcox notified her of the grant. But she said there were hopefully more in the pipeline.

“We have lots of other environmental projects to get involved with,” she said.

At a Bell Co. Board of Education meeting in March, Silcox gave a presentation on the schools involvement in the Kentucky Energy Efficiency Program for Schools (KEEPS), which is now required by state law. The Bell BOE will create an energy manager who directs the energy saving plan that the school system comes up with.

The new plan for Bell County schools’ environmental objectives center around four objectives:

1) Create a healthier environment by reducing toxic diesel emissions for students and residents. Johnson said that one half of the bus drivers will receive training regarding improving air quality. With the retrofitted buses, the school will see a 50 percent decrease in idle reduction as well as a 10 percent improvement in the attendance of students with allergies and asthma.

2) Teachers will learn strategies for teaching and promoting a healthier environment. One hundred percent of teachers will be afforded the opportunity to participate in professional development opportunities that promote strategies for a healthier environment and learned strategies will be reflected in lesson plans linked to core content.

3) Residents, parents and students will learn strategies for creating a healthier environment.

4) Review and expand Bell County Transportation Polices to reduce air-pollution. The Bell BOE will be informed of grant requirements and review grant recommendations regarding idling, circuit configurations, loading and unloading, and bus schedules. And by 2011 the Bell County Board of Education will have adopted polices that support improving air quality.

Johnson said that next Friday, students will attend an environmental service learning event at Lincoln Memorial University starting at 9 a.m. and that Kentucky’s Lt. Governor will likely attend the event. She said resources and grants were pulled together to fund the environmental training. The training sessions will include sessions like teaching students about reclaiming coal mining land to make it more environmentally friendly.

“We want students to gain awareness and learn what they need for a cleaner future,” said Johnson.

Stephen Woodward is a staff writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. Contact him via e-mail at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.