Sustainability Spotlight: Student Leaders
This month’s Sustainability Spotlight is shining on student leaders! Many of the students who are organizing and supporting environmental activities at their schools recently gathered at the first ever Students of Sustainability (S.O.S.) Summit. The summit highlighted student-led sustainability clubs, emphasized the importance of student voices, and included breakout sessions focusing on sustainable living and gardens. Many of the students that attended are leading sustainable efforts at their schools and shared success and challenges with peers from around the district. Fundraising, promotional strategies and raising awareness around climate issues were all discussed among the student leaders.
There is no standard for what a sustainability related club has to look like, and we see that diversity of interests show up in the various clubs and student leaders that spoke at the summit. Jada and Anna recently started the North Star Environmental Club due to littering at their school and have plans to revitalize garden efforts at their school site. Jihye, vice president of the East Eco Club shared tips on how their group organizes successful litter cleanups by partnering with other clubs to combat littering on their school campus. Itai and Lily from the Southeast Neature Club and Lillian and Anastasia from the Southwest Hive Helpers discussed their success with fundraising through plant sales and craft fairs while Amaya and Carmen from the Lincoln High Feminists for Change club mentioned the LPS Foundation grants they have received to provide sustainable feminine products to students at their school and their success with the Lincoln High Healing Garden.
Students attending the summit were not only able to connect and learn from each other, they were also able to connect to some local community experts. Megan McGuffey, Director of Community Crops, facilitated the discussion centered on school gardens. Southwest Hive Helper students shared their experience with starting a pollinator garden and how they have expanded to a vegetable and herb garden for FCS classes to utilize. Sarah Mason with Keep Lincoln Lancaster County Beautiful facilitated discussions on sustainable living. Students shared personal interests and frustrations around sustainable living at home, school, and in the Lincoln community as a whole.
Students are leading the way to support their schools and surrounding communities in becoming more sustainable for everyone. Collaboration between schools and clubs allows students to gain new perspectives and unite their voices to continue to cultivate sustainability within the district. Thank you to these sustainability student leaders for making a difference in our community!
Updated March 2, 2023
