Tyler Stafford 
A pavillion reserved by STA for a beach cleanup. Photo: Ms. Curry
By Tyler Stafford, Isabella Randazzo, and Julia Ruggieri
OCT 24, 2018
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park.
Photo: Ms. Curry
Within the past few weeks, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found that there are viable ways to keep global warming from increasing another 2℃. Since the pre-industrial age, the earth’s temperature has increased by 1.5℃. A seemingly minor increase of .5℃ could have significant impact on this planet. For example, the IPCC said, in a recent report, that “Coral reefs would decline by 70-90 percent with global warming of 1.5°C, whereas virtually all (> 99 percent) would be lost with 2ºC.
St. Thomas Aquinas High School’s (STA) Raiders take protecting the environment seriously and are proud to participate in efforts to reduce pollution. One way STA helps the environment is school-sponsored beach cleanups as part of Learning Empowering Action and
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park.
Photo: Ms. Curry
Prayer (LEAP). Led by STA moderators Ms. Curry and Mrs. Hagood, students head to local beaches and spend part of their day picking up garbage to prevent ocean pollution. It’s encouraging to see students devoting some of their free time to community service.
One of STA’s most prominent environmental efforts is the Recycling Corps. Under Ms. Lowe’s guidance, roughly 60 students devote their time twice a week to collect recycling on campus. Each member of the Recycling Corps is assigned a set of days and rooms by Ms. Lowe. Regarding students’ contributions to helping the environment, Ms. Lowe said, “It definitely inspires me that the students are devoting their time to help keep STA eco-friendly!” She also urges students to be more conscious about recycling efforts and to know what can and cannot be recycled. On this campus “. . . chip bags, candy wrappers, plastic coffee cups from Starbucks or Dunkin, styrofoam, paper towels, tissues, any thing with food residue, and any type of plastic bag is not recyclable!
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park.
Photo: Ms. Curry
EMPTY plastic bottles with the cap removed, any paper (except for paper towels and tissue), aluminum cans, and glass are recyclable.” Know what can be recycled, and do your part to save the environment, one recyclable at a time!
LEAP is a new approach to service learning at STA. Through various projects and opportunities, students see, firsthand, the value of service to the community. For more information about how to get involved with LEAP, see Ms. Curry in room 324 or Mrs. Hagood in room 325.
