4th annual Students of Sustainability Summit Recap
The Students of Sustainability (S. O. S.) Summit is an annual gathering of LPS high school students that have an interest in environmental sustainability efforts.
This event started simply as an opportunity for student leaders across the community to connect with each other and share what activities they were already working on at their school.
In 2026, student attendees at the 4th annual Students of Sustainability Summit participated in a variety of sustainability themed activities and learned about the many different ways sustainability is practiced at LPS. They first learned about natural spaces during an outdoor classroom tour, moving inside to learn about environmental activism from all levels of LPS, split up into breakout rooms and discussed more focused environmental topics, and then joined back together and learned from fellow students and community partners about a variety of sustainability-related projects and groups taking place at LPS and in the community.
Outdoor Classroom Tour
The outdoor classroom tour gave interested students an opportunity to learn from the Master Naturalist and Curator of Horticulture, Isaac, who, with the help of students, educated the attendees on the many facets of the garden at the SFP. This garden, as Isaac described, is filled with native plants and trees and many systems for natural wildlife to enjoy.
Students aided in his presentation discussing the hydroponics, bird feeding, and the bee hives in the outdoor classroom. In the hives, students got to hold the honey combs that the bees produced, and see them working in real time!
Opening Remarks
The event kicked off with three speakers who introduced their unique perspectives on sustainability within the district and the community. Quotes and notes from each of the speakers that spoke to their sustainability perspectives are compiled below.
Policy is an important piece of promoting sustainability and protecting the environment, but it’s also important to remember that people create policy, make decisions informed by it, and are affected by its successes or failures.
Making meaningful impact ultimately relies not just on the content of a policy, but on each of the people in an organization working together toward sustainability as a common goal, down to the choices we make as individuals.
This intersection between people and policy is where the magic happens. We hold ourselves and each other to a higher standard, we strengthen the systems we interact with each day, and we position ourselves to learn continuously.
Piyush Srivastav
LPS Sustainability Coordinator Brittney Wees explained the many ways that sustainability is practiced throughout the district.
She discussed many of these initiatives through her announcement of the newly published 2025 annual Sustainability Report. A few of the highlights from the report were:
- 51% waste diversion rate
- 38 schools receiving Energy Star certification
- 3 new 25 kW solar arrays
- 3 electric school buses in action
- New exploratory sustainability dashboard
- Over 100 trees planted
She connected these points to the breakout sessions students were engaging with.
Brittney Wees
The reason why it is essential for us to all be here today is because people will listen. Your voice is absolutely necessary and its crucial for every single person to hear.
Advocacy coming from young people is one of the most influential and fundamental pieces of our society. We as a community, as young individuals, can shape the way our world works.
There is so much more that can we can do by simply spreading awareness and sitting here today, raising our hands to share and being here for the environment.
Elise Weisser
Breakout Sessions
After hearing from the engaging speakers, students broke out into a variety of breakout rooms covering a wide range of sustainability topics.
Students attending the “Renewable Energy at LPS and in the Community” breakout session had the opportunity to learn about local renewable energy efforts from Scott Benson, Director, Strategy and Innovation, at Lincoln Electric System (LES). Benson discussed the many ways in which the Lincoln electric grid is supported by renewable energy products such as wind, hydro, and solar power.
Students also got to hear from Katie Morland, a student at UNL who is focused on Energy Science and Environmental Education and majoring in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. Working with peers and staff at UNL, Morland developed the boardgame “Microgrid Mastermind” which demonstrates the role of renewable energy and teaches students how to manage the grid through hands-on exploration.
>> View the entire presentation here
Students attending the “Student Leadership in Climate Action: From the Capitol to the Classroom” breakout session had the opportunity to hear from their fellow students about the many ways to engage with climate action. Tellulah, an LPS student and a member of Students for Sustainability, discussed the many ways that students can advocate for climate justice, build strong community, and campaign about issues they are passionate about.
Narrowing down to the classroom scale, Lincoln Southwest’s Hive Helpers dug into the many ways that students can involve their communities and schools in environmental efforts. Through produce sharing, donation events, and cross-school interaction, the Hive Helpers demonstrated the many ways that LPS students can be active in promoting sustainability.
>> View the entire presentation here
Students attending the “Tree Plantings at LPS and in the Community” breakout session had the opportunity to learn from Lincoln Parks and Recreation and students from LSE Key Club about the many ways in which they can grow their local and school tree canopies.
Mike and Kaylyn Comstock from Lincoln Parks and Recreation discussed the importance of trees for regulating temperature, helping the environment, and providing shade and a healthy environment for communities all across Lincoln. They also shared the many volunteering opportunities for students to support local trees and local parks.
LSE Key Club presented on the way that they recently went about planting trees on their school campus, earning them Tree Campus K-12 Recognition for the 24-25 school year. Through a collaboration with the Arbor Day Foundation, LSE Key Club planted four trees in 2025 and have a second planting planned for April, 2026! LSE Key Club demonstrated the ways in which students can collaborate with their schools and communities to plant trees and accomplish sustainability goals.
>> View the entire presentation here
Students attending the “Native Plantings and Environmental Stewardship” breakout session had the opportunity to learn from Jason “the Birdnerd” St. Sauver from the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon and a student leader of Lincoln High School’s United Garden club about the importance of native gardening.
St. Sauver discussed the many benefits of native gardening and “living classrooms”, specifically mentioning how these gardens support local ecosystems by attracting pollinators and birds and by improving soil quality. Alongside this, St. Sauver focused on efforts of high schoolers to grow native gardens and the impact that they had on both the students’ learning and the environment.
Anthony, a student from LHS and the leader of the LHS United Garden Club, demonstrated an example of a successful native garden at a school, highlighting the importance of inclusion and community in their process. Anthony explained the ways that gardens can improve mental and physical well-being and build connections within a community.
>> View the entire presentation here
Student Sustainability Showcase
Rounding out the event, students participated in the Student Sustainability Showcase which highlighted sustainability and environmentally focused student projects from across the district.
Some of the student projects included:
- The Ethical Maker: Adornment as a Sustainable Practice
- A Comparison of Fauna Biodiversity at Three Different Urban Green Spaces with Varying Levels of Management Intensity in Lincoln, NE
- Buy-ins and Tie-ins of Sustainability at LSE
- The Impact of Air Quality on Public Health in Nebraska
- Water Retention with Regard to Soil-type and Hydrogel Usage
- and many more!
The event was also supported by a variety of community partners who shared the many ways that the community is practicing sustainability!
The 4th Annual Students of Sustainability Summit was a day to be proud of, as student attendees explored natural spaces, engaged in meaningful conversations about environmental activism, collaborated in focused breakout sessions, and celebrated the incredible sustainability work happening across LPS and in the community, and LPS Sustainability looks forward to continue engaging students for years to come.
Students of Sustainability (S. O. S.) Network
The Students of Sustainability (S.O.S.) Network is a space for LPS high school students to connect with each other and share the student-led environmental activities and initiatives already happening at our schools AND explore possibilities for future efforts beyond the S. O.S. Summit. If you’re a student interested in connecting with your fellow sustainability invested peers, the class code for the google classroom is fulgdoh.
