This one actually is for real: Ford Motor Company and ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" have joined forces on a new campaign, Educate to Escape, that will result in one lucky school landing a $250,000 green makeover.

A just-launched nationwide contest asks entrants -- whether students, parents, school staff and teachers or community members -- to nominate their schools by answering essay questions about why their campus deserves an eco-friendly makeover.

Green improvements made to the winning school will be largely contingent upon the winning essay and specific school needs, but eco-friendly solutions may include energy-efficient appliances, athletic fields made of organic/sustainable materials, vegetation roofing, solar paneling, Energy Star lighting and insulation, programmable thermostat and triple-pane windows.

In addition to the Educate to Escape green school makeover contest, entrants will have the opportunity to win a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid in the Educate to Escape sweepstakes.

Entries are due by May 18, with the winner set to be announced in June. The actual makeover will be completed later in the summer.

To enter and for more information on the contest and sweepstakes, including official rules, go to www.educatetoescape.com.

“We integrated eco-friendly renovations into our entire season of makeovers on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” said Paige Hemmis of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” “In the long run, thinking green reduces the amount of energy used as well as the costs associated with running old or inefficient appliances. Schools minding their money due to budget cuts may find that integrating eco-friendly renovations will cut their costs dramatically over time.”