The recycling bins in the hallway and the stronger enforcement of the paperless policy are both signs that we are continuing our commitment to becoming a green school.

However, JC no longer has a Green Team.  The Green Team organized efforts to have plastic bottle and paper recycling at school.  The students on the team worked to raise money for local environmental charities and volunteered their time to enhance the campus by raking leaves and planting a native plant garden. 

Nonetheless, with the departure of former Green Team moderator Sister Maryanne Zakreski, no faculty members have stepped up to moderate Green Team.

How can a school be considered green if there is no student initiative to maintain the status? 

The re-creation of the Green Team is necessary to further the mission of an environmentally conscious community.  Environmental causes, like the Green Team, are vital in preserving the beauty and health of the campus and the community at large. 

It is disconcerting that no faculty members seem to care enough about this important cause.  Although the Green Team never had large student participation, a core group of students attended every meeting and worked to improve our school.

These students worked to make a difference and now they are not receiving the support that they deserve. 

Caitie Beth Shauck can be reached for comment at [email protected]