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Dexter students are doing whatever they can to make DHS even more enviornmentally friendly.
By: Joao Antunes
For a decade straight, we threw out our recycling into the trash. Dexter Community Schools recycling and trash bins were synonymous; they were one in the same. The recycling bin was just a placebo. But instead of continuing this tradition, students have started to take action; with climate change, global warming, and our environment getting exponentially worse, Dexter students have taken charge to keep and mend our surroundings. They do something they can be proud of. But… what, exactly?
Many Dexter High School students really do care about our environment, and have invested massive amounts of their time and effort into keeping the surroundings clean and green. They’ve taken initiative to do battery drives, raise money for organizations, and have even worked with local businesses to reduce their carbon footprint such as the Dexter Mill. You might think it’s a few students doing their good deed of the day, but it’s not: it’s the Green Schools club. What exactly pushes students to do this? Senior Mischa Rafferty, the current president, has her aim set.
“I’ve always been interested in the environment but never had a way to actually pursue or do anything
about it,” Rafferty said.
“When learning about the Green Schools Club sophomore year, I knew it was something I wanted to participate in. This year, I was fortunate to take over the club, and build upon the current framework. I hope in the future, the people taking over the club can make it their own whilst helping both the school and Dexter community environmentally.”
For many, such as Rafferty, it’s their devotion to the cause that pushes them to go the extra mile and take action. But obviously, she isn’t alone; there’s a multitude of students who have their own reasons, but all of which are reminiscent of their shared interest.
“I joined the Green Schools Club because there was always a lot of trash and un-environmentally friendly stuff going on around here, so I wanted to change that and help the cause, you know?” Trey Core, another member of the club, said.
So how have people like Core, along with the club, changed our school and the environment? And more importantly, what can you others not in the club do about it?
The club has worked day and night to bring issues to light and have strenuously worked towards active and effective solutions. The most prominent one is their battery drive. If you look down nearly any hallway, you’ll see a green and yellow poster with some neat information; the club is taking used batteries and bringing them to a plant to recycle them, preventing any spillage or leaks had it been simply thrown away.
Most notably, the Green Schools club also holds responsibility for pushing the district to go solar; raising nearly $100,000, they’ve been able to add an array of solar panels that Dexter uses. The solar panels are visible driving by Beacon Elementary School (formerly Cornerstone).
This club isn’t just performing a few good deeds; they’re turning a new leaf in our community.
