This 2024-2025 school year is DePaul College Prep’s second year taking on the Climate Action Project. Students in Melissa Flynn’s culinary class first semester are given everyday tasks that they can perform independently to improve their surrounding environment. Leading into the second semester, the students use what they learn from the first semester to create a more community facing project.

Flynn said, “I want the students to think about their impact. Everything we do has an impact.”

Students participating in this project were assigned straightforward daily tasks, like taking shorter showers. Through this experiment they explored the energy needed to heat the water and the amount of water used per minute to further empathize how “precious our water is.”

Students are provided with a variety of current events that link to different stories about water, energy, carbon emissions, carbon footprint calculators, and other sources such as National Geographic and NASA that help them realize the impact that they are having.

“Last year, I had students say they didn’t realize how much water they are wasting or how many plastic bottles they are using or the effect of single use plastics has on the environment, it really made them more aware,” Flynn said.

They are encouraged to walk or bike to school, instead of driving every day.

“Students share that they actually have gotten to school much faster, some even admit it’s a little more relaxing than driving.” Flynn said.

This awareness among students regarding their environment impact was substantial, giving them a new perspective on the effect they can have. This shift in student mindset, made them care for the environment and be more present in what they do in their daily life.

The hope for this project is that the students are willing to share their experiences. When Earth month comes around in April, they are going to be completing a community project and try to challenge all students of DePaul College Prep to endure everyday tasks a little differently to impact the environment. They look forward to continuing their research and hope to make a difference.

Senior Riley Clary shared her personal project of reducing plastic waste and production by no longer using single use cups specifically from Starbucks and instead using a reusable cup.

Starbucks has a feature on the mobile app where you can order your beverage or food ahead of time. Clary shares how this impacted her experiment by explaining how she can’t order ahead of time since a reusable cup isn’t an option.

“I hope that my actions of not bringing the cups to school and telling my friends and family about what the project is about will help them to take accountability for their actions that were similar to mine,” Clary said.

Taking time to reflect on the impact of our own individual actions can impact those around us and is crucial when practicing a way to make a change in society.

Clary said, “Through this project I learned that making small changes in our routine can help the environment even if you don’t see it right away. By one person starting the change it can lead to a domino effect of new possibilities for our world.”

Senior Nora Vonbraunsberg, who is another active participant in the Climate Action Project shared her experience and her personal project of also using reusable cups instead of plastic.

Vonbraunsberg explained that her role in the climate action project is to demonstrate small acts such as reducing plastic waste while also raising awareness about the impact of single use plastics that contribute to a larger movement for sustainability.

“I hope that my project will inspire others to form similar projects and ideas. I’ve learned the importance of one person making a difference in the world. It can inspire and lead others to follow in similar ways,” Vonbraunsberg said.

Being a participant in this project has provided Vonbraunsberg and other students that getting involved with climate change does not always mean creating major changes.

“I see that individual efforts and small actions can lead to positive environmental impact,” Vonbraunsberg said.