Whitney Young Magnet High School: Green Team’s Earth Week
Students: 15
Staff: 2
Mentor: Kitty Knauz & Emily Lanyon
Project type: Various
Location: Chicago, IL
Grade levels: 7-12
Whitney Young worked on a multi-part plan to create sustainable change in the school while educating students and staff about being more environmentally friendly. Students formed a school Green Team to raise awareness among their peers through informative presentations and events relating to sustainability. They also organized a volunteer program to go to classrooms without recycling bins to organize and take away recyclables. Robotics students built a hydroponic planting system and participated in hands-on urban gardening projects, growing more than 300 edible plants.
Robotics students construct stakes outside as part of the urban gardening process.
The student Green Team collaborated with other student clubs such as Eco Club and Sunrise Movement to give presentations during Earth Week on topics ranging from fast fashion to factory farming to energy efficiency. They also organized fundraisers, crafting activities and a school-wide trash pickup event to get other students involved in sustainability initiatives.