Wantagh Joins the Green Schools Alliance

Wantagh High School has just become a member of the Green Schools Alliance (GSA).  Wantagh class of 2013 graduate Isabella Swyst and rising senior Andrew Bloniarz are mainly responsible for bringing the program to Wantagh, after attending the GSA’s summer camp “Sc3” and working as interns for the GSA.  Currently, Wantagh is the only public school on Long Island that is a member.

The GSA is a not-for-profit organization that encourages the use of clean energy and renewable resources in the school community, as well as increased awareness of environmental issues among students.  It has, since 2007, gained membership from over 3,000 schools, from 42 US states and 23 countries.  The GSA and its chapters try to facilitate communication between schools globally in order to build environmentally sound programs in school buildings.  From their website, “Schools set and meet goals and self-report resource reductions and sustainability efforts. By tracking progress and sharing best practices, this creates a ripple effect, demonstrating that similar solutions are not only possible, but desirable.“

Below is a Q & A with Swyst and Bloniarz, elaborating on the project.

How did you get involved with the GSA?

Swyst: The intern coordinator of a past internship sent me an email about the Student Climate and Conservation Congress (Sc3) - a program for high school students run by the Green Schools Alliance. I had absolutely no clue what it was, but I applied nonetheless. A month later, I was in West Virginia surrounded by all of these amazing people and talking about all of these amazing ideas about the environment - it was the most amazing week of my life. At the end of the Congress, I was chosen to the be the Communications intern for the GSA. 

Bloniarz: Isabella had encouraged me to participate in Sc3, which is run by the GSA. While there, we were informed of internship opportunities with the GSA, and I decided to take the chance and apply. Little did I know that I would end up as the Regional Coordinator for the Tri-State Region!

What kind of projects/activities did you work on at Sc3?

Bloniarz: Every moment at Sc3 was packed with interesting speakers and fun activities. The first day, we learned about Open-Space Technology. In short, it’s a progressive way of collaborating and working toward a common goal. Throughout the week, we met in small groups and worked on different ways of creating positive climate change in our communities. Personally, I was a part of the Community Action group. The groups had to put together a 10 minute presentation called “The Deliverable” about what they were going to do upon their arrival home. My group decided to redo the GSA website to make it much more user-friendly and interactive, and at the core of this, we are going to fix the calendar function and allow people to post about conservation/outdoor activities in their areas.

Speakers such as National Geographic photographer Joe Riis, marine biologist Carl Safina, and inventor of the LEED certification system for buildings Rob Watson, were among the many amazing and inspiring presenters that we had the privilege to hear from at Sc3.

Swyst: Oh gosh, what didn’t we do? Every day was completely packed; we were going going going from 7 AM until 11 PM every day. As an intern, what I did was a bit different from what Andrew did. I participated in all of the same activities as he did, but since I was an intern this past year, I was a “Circle Assistant.” My job was to keep track of the students in my group, but mostly I helped with facilitating discussions in the circles.

What is your role as an intern?

Swyst: As I discussed before, I was a Circle Assistant at Sc3 this year. My official position as intern is complete as of the end Sc3 2013, but I’m still going to remain active with the GSA on the Student Advisory Board. I’m sure I’ll be helping Andrew out throughout the year.

Last year as a communications intern, I was in charge of running the GSA blog and we (my fellow interns and I) also spent a lot of time discussing the most effective ways to create communities and facilitate discussions throughout GSA students. I really enjoyed working on the blog. The required monthly posts really helped to focus and center me throughout my busy year, and writing about various environmental issues helped to remind me why I was doing all of this work. When you know that you have to have an introspective blog post at the end of each month, you start to look for inspiration in everything, and that really acted as a constant reminder of how important the environment is.

Bloniarz: I’m pretty new to this, so I’m learning as I go along. The first project that I had as an intern was to compile a database for member and non-member schools with contact information. I plan on working to create some outdoor activities for the members of my community and surrounding communities. I’m basically playing it by ear.

How did WHS become a member?

Bloniarz: Becoming a member of the GSA is much easier than you would think. By signing up to be a part of the GSA, you are making a commitment to work towards reducing your school’s environmental impact. If you are prepared to make that promise, then all you have to do is get the approval of your school administration and fill out an easy application online!

Swyst: Like Andrew said, joining the GSA is actually ridiculously easy. There are no prerequisites for a school to join; your school doesn’t have to be perfect and carbon neutral. The point of joining the GSA is making a commitment and striving to be better, and the GSA will help your school get there.

What are the goals you have for this new membership?

Swyst: I’m going to be away at Cornell next year, so most of the work is on Andrew’s plate! I just think that anything change that happens at the school would be amazing. Even the smallest of changes would really make me ecstatic, and I hope to see that happen. Andrew and I have a bevy of ideas, but I think it would be best for us to start small.

Bloniarz: When I asked one of the administration members from the school where we were wasting energy, he just replied ‘everywhere’, so I guess that means we have a lot to do. I’m currently working on obtaining an energy audit for the school that would show us the largest areas of energy waste. Another project that Isabella and I were discussing was somehow getting the students to use reusable water bottles instead of purchasing new plastic ones every day. We are looking to work with clubs in the school to possibly fundraise for these bottles for the students. I’m really excited about all of the positive outcomes that will come about due to Wantagh’s new membership in the GSA!

What does this change mean for Wantagh High School and the community? How will students, parents, and staff be affected?

Swyst: I hope that the environmental changes we make in the school will inspire students to make better choices and change their habits at home. I really want the changes that we’re making to inspire other students and empower them to make changes on a bigger scale as well - I want others to feel the passion I feel for making positive changes for our environment.

Bloniarz: The ideal situation is that through our involvement in the GSA and the network of resources that we are connected with, students and community members alike will be educated as to the environmental problems that exist and the simple things that they can do to try and slow the progression down. By working through the high school, students will be made aware of small things (such as using a reusable water bottle and carpooling) that they can share with parents, neighbors, and friends. Our ultimate goal is to make Wantagh a shining example of how any community, with enough drive and passion, can work to become environmentally friendly.