{"id":35774,"date":"2026-11-05T10:10:23","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T16:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/?p=35774"},"modified":"2026-11-05T10:12:21","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T16:12:21","slug":"sustainability-spotlight-melissa-sellon-at-bryan-community-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/2026\/11\/05\/sustainability-spotlight-melissa-sellon-at-bryan-community-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainability Spotlight: Melissa Sellon at Bryan Community School"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"35774\" class=\"elementor elementor-35774\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-693b3cd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"693b3cd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e219994\" data-id=\"e219994\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-066f75c elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"066f75c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-2c674ed elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>November 5, 2026<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9add5fc elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9add5fc\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d0e8f80\" data-id=\"d0e8f80\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-558a993 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"558a993\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">November\u2019s Sustainability Spotlight is shining on Melissa Sellon from Bryan Community School. Sellon has been at Bryan as a counselor for four years and picked up the role of Sustainability Champion two years ago. Alongside this role, Sellon also serves as the school\u2019s Native American Success Coach and works to find ways to incorporate Native American ideas into sustainability initiatives.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d2fbc69\" data-id=\"d2fbc69\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-49c26d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"49c26d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/10\/20135180.jpg?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-35855\" alt=\"Woman with short brown hair smiles in a portrait photo.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/10\/20135180.jpg?w=300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/10\/20135180.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-attachment-id=\"35855\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/2026\/11\/05\/sustainability-spotlight-melissa-sellon-at-bryan-community-school\/attachment\/20135180\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/10\/20135180.jpg?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"300,300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"20135180\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Melissa Sellon&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/10\/20135180.jpg?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b36865 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7b36865\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-100ec11 elementor-blockquote--skin-quotation elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-blockquote--align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"100ec11\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\tI'm a huge advocate for anything that is helpful to Mother Nature. I'm the Native American Success Coach, and I have some Native background myself, and so climate and nature and Earth are huge values of mine, and so [being the Sustainability Champion] is a way that I felt like I could connect to those things at my job, and also help kids connect those things while we're all together.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">Melissa Sellon<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6603ef3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6603ef3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-06cefeb\" data-id=\"06cefeb\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff589b9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ff589b9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last year, Sellon worked to make sustainability more visible and accessible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d6ab151 elementor-arrows-position-inside elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"d6ab151\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;3&quot;,&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;both&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:5000,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:500,&quot;image_spacing_custom&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:20,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;image_spacing_custom_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;image_spacing_custom_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"image-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel-wrapper swiper\" role=\"region\" aria-roledescription=\"carousel\" aria-label=\"Image Carousel\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 4\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/1-1.jpg?fit=731%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"A blue recycling bin labeled \u201cplastic bottles\u201d and a small black landfill bin sit in a tiled hallway corner, inviting waste sorting in a practical, orderly setting.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Sellon supported waste diversion by supporting Bryan's recent Container Reset.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"2 of 4\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/2-1.jpg?fit=731%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Paper towel dispenser on a tiled bathroom wall, with a sign promoting one towel per use to reduce waste. A towel hangs below; the practical, eco-conscious message feels encouraging.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Sellon implemented paper towel composting stickers to remind students and staff to reduce waste.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"3 of 4\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/3-1.jpg?fit=731%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"A metal light switch plate on a textured wall bears a green \u201cSave Energy, Lights Off\u201d sticker, encouraging conservation with a practical tone.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Sellon helped support Lights Out initiatives by distributing sticker reminders to classrooms across the building.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"4 of 4\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design-1.jpg?fit=731%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"A clear plastic bin labeled \u201cBatteries\u201d holds assorted loose and bagged batteries, sorted in zip-top bags on a tiled worktable.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">Sellon started a battery recycling initiative to encourage proper disposal and recycling of batteries. (Example photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1b91145 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1b91145\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-808d028\" data-id=\"808d028\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a0b4b9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3a0b4b9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sellon finds that her favorite part of building on sustainable initiatives is planning and getting others involved. Collaborating with other people and having the space and ability to be creative is a driving force behind Sellon\u2019s efforts. She highlights the importance of using community and diversity as a benefit to finding creative ways to build sustainability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beyond these efforts, Sellon is currently working on creating a garden at Bryan that centers around the Native American Medicine Wheel. This garden\u2013medicine garden\u2013is in the shape of a circle divided into four meaningful quadrants. She also elaborates that the plants happen to be pollinator-friendly and native to Nebraska, adding to their sustainability benefits.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ecd5ae0\" data-id=\"ecd5ae0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4759647 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4759647\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-35963\" alt=\"A blue outdoor book-exchange box stands on wooden posts beside a brick building, surrounded by plants; a weathered white metal barrier lies across the garden bed.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" data-attachment-id=\"35963\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/2026\/11\/05\/sustainability-spotlight-melissa-sellon-at-bryan-community-school\/untitled-design-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-title=\"Untitled Design\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Current landscape and gardening efforts at Bryan.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Untitled-Design.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-88a3173 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"88a3173\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-82cec54\" data-id=\"82cec54\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6421b55 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6421b55\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cWe grow things that are both native here, but also things that would have been traditionally used in Native American medicine, and it just so happens that all of those things are also pollinating plants. Most of them are native to Nebraska, and so in that way, those two things become married.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">She explains that in Native American culture, medicine is viewed as something that is of the Earth. She thinks that the medicine wheel garden will both serve as a teaching tool and also provide a focus on sustainability and the use of natural resources. She hopes that a garden and a focus on sustainability could really help \u201cstaff and students understand that we can use our resources in a way that is smart and use the land and the resources that we already have.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6f1eb66 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6f1eb66\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-854927f\" data-id=\"854927f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4728d85 elementor-blockquote--skin-quotation elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-blockquote--align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"4728d85\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\tI think any time where a student feels no longer trapped within the walls of a building, and a student feels like they are more grounded and connected to their community and to a place that they go to every day. That is what keeps kids in schools. That is what keeps families functioning. That is the basis for a lot of health.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-q-footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"elementor-blockquote__author\">Melissa Sellon<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-331005c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"331005c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6cb7afd\" data-id=\"6cb7afd\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d86566 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5d86566\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sellon highlights that sustainable practices provide mental health benefits for students. This is especially important in the current age of digital consumerism, she explains.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cA lot of our students have really lost touch with the physical world around them. They are constantly inundated with images on their phone or things that are not really even in their present everyday life. And so, really bringing them back to the mindfulness of okay, you&#8217;re in the here and now. Let&#8217;s take a minute to look around ourselves and actually be present.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sellon believes that a large part of building mindfulness is connection with nature. She cites how mental and physical health are often intertwined, and by encouraging students to be outside and interact with the environment is a major step towards benefiting all areas of health. Beyond this, she emphasizes how being in touch with the environment also helps build communities and keep students engaged in learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b0dbb62 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b0dbb62\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ba29595\" data-id=\"ba29595\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a4f90f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1a4f90f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Her biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to start collaborating with others on sustainability is \u201cfinding one other thing that you&#8217;re passionate about that somebody else can get behind.\u201d For her, it was Native Club, but for others it could encompass a variety of topics and interests. She continues, \u201cany time that you can connect a community goal with what you&#8217;re doing. I think that there can be a lot of movement there.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">LPS Sustainability is so proud of the work that Sellon has done to promote sustainability and environmental connections at Bryan. We are so excited to see what she and her students accomplish in the years to come!<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>November\u2019s Sustainability Spotlight is shining on Melissa Sellon from Bryan Community School. Sellon has been at Bryan as a counselor for four years and picked up the role of Sustainability Champion two years ago. Alongside this role, Sellon also serves as the school\u2019s Native American Success Coach and works to find ways to incorporate Native [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12383,"featured_media":35966,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5XcXY-9j0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/files\/2026\/11\/Update-Feature-36.png?fit=630%2C420&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12383"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35774"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36047,"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35774\/revisions\/36047"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35966"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/home.lps.org\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}