Environmental Club Earns Green Flag Honors

By Mackenzie Reilly
     
​      The Wall High School Environmental Club has achieved Green Flag Certification from EcoSchools USA, the highest offered level of certification from the nation’s largest ‘green school’ program, an accomplishment many years in the making.
     The groundwork of the process was laid by the founding members of the club. Across multiple different graduating classes, the Environmental Club worked to mitigate the impact of the school district on the environment: taking account of waste production and energy consumption, planting native species on school grounds to promote biodiversity as well as educating peers on issues. The journey to this point, says club officer and Wall senior Maxim Ilin, was complex. 
      “The process was difficult… There was a lot of paperwork,” he said.  
     In order to achieve its level of certification, the club had to complete three different pathways within the program, including the mandatory energy pathway necessary for certification. The other two chosen were Climate Change (Biodiversity) and Consumption & Waste. The work done for the Biodiversity pathway also earned the club recognition from the State of New Jersey when they came third in the New Jersey Student Climate Challenge and traveled to the Drumthwacket Foundation in Princeton to accept a grant for their work. Club advisor Mr. Josh Tennant, who teaches biology and environmental science, thanked the numerous students and staff involved in bringing the project to fruition. 
     “There were so many people that were involved in getting us to this point that weren’t necessarily publicly recognized… so in case they read this, I’d like to acknowledge their hard work,” he said. 
     Mr. Tennant and the club’s officers were recently invited to give a presentation on their work to the Wall Board of Education. The officers gave a brief explantion of the process involved in completing each pathway, including initiatives such as community cleanups, waste and energy audits, and restoring native habitats. Each of these initiatives saw participation across many different groups and communities within the school. 
     “It really was from a diverse group of students… students in the environmental [science] class, students in biology class, students who I’ve never had in class who helped with artwork,” Mr. Tennant explained. “That’s how you get projects like this done. It’s all hands on deck.” 
     The presentation was followed by an in-school ceremony in which a representative from EcoSchools USA and Principal Mr. Kevin Davis awarded the students certificates in recognition of their efforts. They were joined by alumni Riya Ajmera and David Roberts, who helped to start the club on the road to the award when they were students at Wall. Roberts now serves on the Wall Township Environmental Advisory Committee and they both continue to advocate for environmental issues in their studies and careers. At the end of the ceremony, the officers, alumni and Mr. Tennant were photographed in front of the Green Flag, which hangs in a showcase in the E hallway of the high school.  
      Despite their recent successes, the club is taking no time to rest. It continues to pursue further certifications through Sustainable Jersey for Schools and looks forward to expanding their efforts beyond the scope of the student body. 
     “My hope is that it can take the momentum we’ve started and bring it more towards a building level… we want to get some of the adults more involved because that expands our reach to things that can have… more of an impact,” Mr. Tennant said. 
     The officers have been joined this year by a team of club interns, who will shadow them and take over their positions when the officers graduate at the end of this year. Through this continuity of leadership, the club hopes to maintain their momentum in the coming years through the tremendous enthusiasm of the soon-to-be officers. 
     “I’m pretty excited to begin research on what we can do to improve and find other activities that we can partake in… like [ways to] perpetuate awareness about the environment, and why it’s crucial,” said intern and sophomore Skyla Bicca. 
     The club continues to plan new initiatives to mitigate the school’s impact on the environment, including upcoming cleanups and consumption audits. 
     “Everyone’s really passionate about the work they’re doing, really focused,” Bicca added.