When River Crest Elementary School opened on September 2, 2008, it was clear that the effect of a "green" school would extend beyond the students who walked through the doors for class each day. The 93,450-square-foot facility in Hudson, Wisconsin, serves as a catalyst for sustainable change and has been an educational tool for ecofriendly behavior in the community. River Crest's role goes beyond being "just a school" and offers a blueprint worthy of duplication. The Hudson School District Board of Education and administration chose to incorporate sustainability into the design and construction of their new elementary school. They knew it was the right thing to do. From this inaugural decision, they launched a green movement and commitment to sustainability. The enthusiasm expressed by River Crest staff, students, and parents spread across the district as greater emphasis was placed on learning about and practicing sustainability. The "tipping point" came as the Hudson community began to recognize River Crest as the standard or model for construction in the area. River Crest is the Hudson School District's sixth elementary school but its first to be designed and constructed using sustainability principles. This article describes a few of the sustainable highlights of the design and construction.