The Shaker Youth LEEDs Committee, a group of high school students, are committed to helping the Shaker community develop a sustainable quality of living.
Students on the committee include Kathleen Guo and Sophy Gao, co-presidents, Ava Keresztesy, Cindy Yu and Genevieve Comar from Hathaway Brown School. Natalie Konrad from Shaker Heights High School and Fanon Miller from University School.
LEED, which means Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, provides strategies to help communities and organizations with environmental goals.
Since 2021, the Shaker Youth LEEDS Committee has hosted the annual Shaker EcoChallenge, a city-wide sustainability Initiative during April, which is typically Earth Month. It provides participants with challenges to promote sustainability where they can earn points for prizes. They had 90 participants in 2022 from ages 10 to 87.
This year, people who participated planted trees, removed invasive plants, tried bird watching, supported farmer’s markets, purchased local plants, did advocacy work, installed rain barrels, low flow showerheads or faucets, volunteered, explored parks, installed efficient lighting and solar panels, and purchased or signed up for green programs.
“For us, The Shaker EcoChallenge has extended beyond the month of April and is just sustainable actions,” the group wrote. “It means leading a sustainable lifestyle and creating a foundation for a stable planet, starting from our local community. It has been an incredible opportunity for us, as a group of high schoolers, to discover the potential we have to nurture a place that we call home. We are grateful for our advances this year, and look forward to the impact we have in the many years to come.”
Shaker Youth LEEDS Committee provided sustainability ideas for kids and their families this summer:
- Choose a cone at an ice cream shop for a zero-waste alternative
- Take a walk at your local park
- Have a picnic with food from home
- “Kid plant buddies” grow with your plant
- Collect rainwater to take care of plants
- Go to a local beach, lake or park to clean up
- Visit a local farmers market
- Go camping and immerse yourself in nature
- Start composting
- Bring reusable water bottles with you to combat the heat
Visit shakeryouthleeds.wixsite.com/shakerecochallenge for more information about the group!
