For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Oyster River Students Attend Youth Climate Leaders Academy

DURHAM – Principal Suzanne Filippone is pleased to announce that six Oyster River students attended the Youth Climate Leaders Academy last week to launch a year-long plan to make the high school more sustainable.

The two-day Youth Climate Leaders Academy, put on by the Vermont Energy Education Program, works with students to help them make changes at their schools to combat climate change. Oyster River is the first school in New Hampshire to attend the conference since its launch in 2017.

On Nov. 15, Oyster River freshmen Allison Howland, Evy Ashburner, Elise Wollheim, juniors Jackson Deely, Alexandra Dundorf and senior Alana Ervin attended the retreat at the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, Vermont.

“We recognize that climate change is occurring globally and locally here in New Hampshire,” Principal Filippone said. “In an effort to make sustainable changes here in the district, we thought the Youth Climate Leaders Academy would be an excellent way for us to kick off making changes here in the district.”

At the retreat, students attended workshops on environmental activism, social movements, graphic design and marketing to learn valuable skills to assist with their project.

Throughout the year, students will work with the Oyster River community to eliminate the purchase of plastic items (i.e. plastic ware, smoothie cups, lids, straws and single use water bottles) at the high school by November 2020. At the same time, they’ll educate their peers, faculty and staff about the negative effects plastic has on the environment in the hopes of changing mindsets.

The conference also provided students with the opportunity to meet environmental leaders — including Montpelier Mayor Anne Watson, and Haley Pero, an outreach representative for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders — and connect with their peers from Vermont to brainstorm ideas and discuss what changes worked for their communities.

“It was great because there was a community of people who were all motivated by a similar goal: to have a more sustainable planet,” said Howland. “It’s great to know that other kids our age are interested in this, which motivates me even more.”

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