Nardin Today Winter 2020-2021

43 Nardin Today Winter 2020-21 in search of recyclable materials, while surrounded by the most magnificent mountainous views. This was my first introduction to the devastating reality of environmental injustice, and it sparked a fire in me that burns to this day. The rigorous and enriching curriculum of Nardin High School prepared me for the realities of college life. At the onset of my four years at Loyola University of Maryland, I was able to speak with confidence, write with conviction, and learn with humility. I chose to pursue a degree in Global Studies and Environmental Studies, and I developed a love for sociology, philosophy, and all things that challenged my understanding of the world. To build upon this, I decided to study abroad at the Katholike University of Leuven, Belgium for the entirety of my Junior year. In the Fall of 2018, when 15-year old Greta Thunberg took to the streets and ignited the Fridays for our Future movement, it didn’t take long for Belgian high school students to follow suit, demanding immediate action to address climate change. I remember riding my bike to class and watching the teenagers with their cardboard signs and their fiery passion for change and I couldn’t help but reflect upon my own high school experience. At Nardin, I learned to care for others, and to do everything I could to make this world a better place. I learned to think critically and to act with empathy. I learned to consider the long-term impacts of short-term decisions. However, I never understood the reality of climate change, and I never felt its true weight as I do now. I turned twenty-two this summer. By the time current Nardin students are my age, we will be at the end of our window to mitigate our environmental impact before we inflict irreversible damage on our Earth. As individuals, as a community, and as a society, we must remember that we are always learning, and always growing. We must reflect upon our history in order to write a better future. We must strive to make impactful changes at the front of gender, class, racial, and environmental disparities in order to ensure that future generations can be proud to call us leaders. I recognize the privilege that comes with being a part of the Nardin community, and I am incredibly grateful to be in a position where I can give back. In March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shook the world, I returned to Buffalo to finish my college degree online. I used this time to focus on my professional development in the environmental space. In a short time, I was recruited to help develop an online youth advocacy program for a start-up company called Common Energy. Common Energy works with state-supported programs to build and activate new community solar projects. These projects support local green jobs and enable virtually anyone to support clean energy through their existing utility accounts. Because clean energy has first priority on the electrical grid, this will decrease the use of fossil fuels, lowering CO2 emissions and supporting the transition to a renewable energy economy. Furthermore, because there is nothing to install at the home, community solar exponentially increases the accessibility of renewable energy for renters and members of low-income communities. Our program is free to participate in, and our members benefit from the added bonus of discounted utility bills. I have recently been promoted to a managerial position on Common Energy’s unique youth-led Impact Team. Currently, we are composed of over sixty high school and college students across the country fighting for renewable energy alternatives. Through one-on-one coaching, partnership building, and collaborative problem solving, we strive to create an online space to empower young people as local leaders of sustainability. I now live in Denver, CO with my sister Ellen ’12, E’08, who is my greatest inspiration to pursue environmental justice. I have spent the past seven months on video calling platforms teaching people about Community Solar and mentoring other young advocates to do the same. Through my outreach process, I have been able to reconnect with Nardin teachers, parents, and alumni who have all reminded me of the truly wonderful community we have here. I am so grateful that the alumni association has invited me to share my story and connect with even more people about climate action. I am excited to continue to work with the Nardin community and support our growth toward a more sustainable future!" n