As the urgency of climate change intensifies, the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students recognize the importance of bringing a new future through their schools, which inspired the creation of The Student Climate Action Council (SCAC). MCPS has embraced and welcomed this new council and has adopted it county-wide. SCAC consists of 14 representative students overseeing different schools in Montgomery County county.
According to The National High School Journal of Science, research done in the 2018-19 academic school year shows that collectively, MCPS schools emit about 180 thousand metric tons of carbon dioxide. This number includes transportation, energy usage, and waste. This situation is concerning because this is only MCPS and doesn’t consider other school districts in Maryland or the US, seeing the significant environmental impact it can have.
Student-led initiatives like SCAC involved with MCPS’s inner workings have the potential to create real major change, according to Amy Itwaru, A Springbrook High School IB environmental systems teacher. “The thing with MCPS or really any school district, The students are the focus so if student-led initiatives are being implemented, then the school board will listen. Councils like SCAC are important and a huge step in the right direction.”
Itwaru also said that lack of education and awareness are major contributing factors towards improving MCPS’s current emissions and could use improvement on that, “The big thing is to learn what we can do, What can the students do and what we do in general. This is very important—promoting the environment and what humans are doing because half of the battle is people not knowing the true severity”.
Students’ voices are powerful as MCPS continues working with SCAC to create an entirely green school system. Never before have students had so much information at their fingertips; students have a completely different perspective on issues from others, especially when it comes to climate action. In an interview with Emily Heimsoth, A Project Lead The Way teacher at Springbrook agrees with Itwaru on the importance of involving students in issues like these,
“So I think it’s good for students to explain what’s important to them and what they are seeing from their perspectives because you guys have a totally different point of view of the world,” Heimsoth said. “If you’re seeing stuff that’s going on that you guys think needs to change or have an idea about how to change it and make it better, then some sort of action committee like that is a great way to get the word out there.”
Currently, SCAC is adding student ambassadors to keep school involvement and promote sustainability locally. Localized student ambassadors can more effectively spread awareness of students’ options to work together for a greener and more sustainable future.
If you want to learn more about SCAC and the 14 representatives and how to get involved, please visit the official Student Climate Action Committee website and SCAC’s Instagram for future meetings and conferences.
Article Written by Nicolas Leyva Diaz of Springbrook High School
Photo Courtesy of Montgomery County Public Schools