Posted by Ryan Lancaster on 4/18/2023
Every day is Earth Day, but in the leadup to April 22 (actual Earth Day), we checked in with environmental clubs at Ferris, Shadle Park, and Lewis & Clark high schools to see how they celebrate, and why they feel it’s important to get involved.
Ferris’ club has been handed down from one class of students to the next for the past six years.
“Our mission is to bring together like-minded individuals to discuss current issues pertaining to our local and global communities as well as brainstorming ideas to make environmental conversations more attainable for our entire school,” said current club president and senior Cadence Lay.
Cadence said it’s vital to preserve the health and stability of the environment – and by extension our entire society – no matter who you are or where you come from. Young people are especially important, she said, because this generation will affect the wellbeing of the planet for decades.
“Our willingness to engage in the problems our world faces today will push us in the direction of a brighter future,” she said.
Shadle Park club president Jo Caslow agrees, saying, “Young people help to build our environment for the future generations, and those generations deserve to live in a healthy community and ecosystem.”
Jo and other club members joined the annual Spokane River Cleanup, and are working after school with the local organization Growing Neighbors to finish beds for a community garden on Longfellow Avenue this spring.
Lewis & Clark’s club is also active. This past Sunday they also took part in a river cleanup, and are attending Earth Fest activities at Turbull Wildlife Refuge on Saturday (landscouncil.org/events/earth-fest), and the Hope For Creation Conference later in the day (whitworth.edu/hopeforcreation).
LC club advisor Cory Davis said they’ve been going strong for about 5 years, with involvement of students from all grades.
“I’m most proud of this group for the fact that they run this themselves,” Cory said. “The environment is facing serious challenges, and the scientific forecasts of 20 years ago are here, now. The energy of our younger generation along with their hope and creativity coupled with the knowledge, finances, and positions those who are older hold is an encouraging prospect.”
