School Celebrates Earth Day, Beautifies Campus

Having already hosted an Earth Day Chapel is Curtis’ Garden earlier in the week, the community began the day with a sunrise walk led by Alexa Keating ’22 followed by a LINK group information session led by Kennedy Martin ’22 and Whitney Byington ’22. Later in the day, the normal afternoon sports and arts time was reallocated to several environmentally friendly activities led by the Sustainability Club.

“I think it is important for all institutions and people around the world to celebrate Earth Day. In this time where climate activists are fighting for environmental reform, we must remember we are not separate from nature. It is not humans and industry vs. the earth, we are one,” said Lucia Stoneman ’22, president of the Sustainability Club.

 

“Although colonization erased much of this culture, we must remember the indigenous people who had healthy relationships and cultures based around nature and their ecosystem. We can learn a lot from these cultures. One of our students, Whitney Byington, recommends reading the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Kimmerer was raised in an indigenous community and shares their communities nurturing and mindful relationship with their ecosystem.  It is important for Chatham Hall specifically to celebrate Earth Day because as young students, we are the future of politics and we are the generation that can push and create reform.”

 

In the afternoon, students, faculty, and staff had the option of joining Rector Connell to clean up the Fitness Trail; attending a creative writing workshop with Dr. Edmonds; reviving the campus greenhouse with Ms. Lane, Madison Edwards ‘23, Madelyn Boltz ’22; working on a community garden with Mr. Miller; caring for our campus through beautification projects with Coach Clay; or learning more about environmental justice with Byington and Stoneman.

 

To cap off the day, the community enjoyed an outdoor picnic on the Front Lawn.

 

Thank you to everyone who helped planned the Earth Day activities this week!