Pali’s Human Rights Watch Student Task Force (STF), Pick It Up Pali and Smiles Pet Club organized Earth Day events at Pali from April 15 to 19. Students, teachers and administration celebrated Earth Day through a variety of activities designed to educate students about the importance of keeping Pali and the planet clean.

Events began on Monday, April 15, a week before Earth Day. Students were encouraged to dress up for hippie day. Additionally, members of STF conducted a variety of presentations, and students participated in interactive Earth Day activities. Three tents were set up in the quad that focused on human rights, climate change, the environmental work at Pali and the Southern Border Crisis.

On Tuesday, the Smiles Pet Club organized an ocean-themed bake sale at lunch, with proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The club raised money for the conservation efforts of blue whales, an endangered species. The bake sale featured cookies, cake pops and ice cream for $1 each. All of the treats were sold, and the club raised $115 for the WWF, event organizers said.

STF organized a Pali Period focused on environmental justice and activism. During the activity, students viewed a slideshow presentation created by STF class members. The slideshow worked to prompt environmental justice and activism through videos showing students how to become involved with environmental activism at Pali and spotlighting teen efforts. At lunch, environmental clubs set up tables in the quad with trivia, art projects and information regarding how to become involved in climate action.

The events continued on Thursday, as Pali teachers collectively turned off their lights for five minutes to conserve energy. Finally, the students’ efforts culminated with an event on Friday. Pick It Up Pali members collected the trash left behind by students throughout the week and created a pile of it in the middle of the quad to encourage students to throw out their trash. According to Pick It Up Pali, the following week there was a 33 percent reduction in the amount of trash left on campus.

One of the student groups that helped organize the Earth Day events, STF, is part of the global organization Human Rights Watch. Junior Ryan Carpenter,  president of STF, creates agendas for STF meetings, plans events and educates club members on topics through Kahoots and trivia. Carpenter said she plans to recreate the events next year while building on them wherever possible. 

“I would recommend anyone to join STF,” Carpenter said. “It’s such an empowering organization…They really make you feel like your voice matters.”

STF collaborated with Pick It Up Pali to organize the Earth Day events. Pick It Up Pali was initially a campaign created by the Studio Lab class, led by Drama teacher Nancy Fracchiola, that was intended to encourage Pali students to pick up and throw away their trash. However, the campaign soon expanded beyond the Studio Lab class; AP art students made banners that were hung in the quad, AP Photography student Henry Sims created the Pick It Up Pali logo, and film students Jonah Sachs and Sammy White directed a campaign video. 

A member of the Studio Lab class and environmental activist Sophia Hopf noted the widespread involvement in Pick It Up Pali.

“It was a collective effort where everyone had their part and everyone did their part,” Hopf said.  “And if they weren’t for all of us, I don’t think it would have worked out as well.”

Carpenter added: “It’s important to celebrate Earth Day because it’s a day to acknowledge that we’re part of something that’s so much bigger than just ourselves, and that the Earth is more than a human’s playground.”