Going into it’s fourth year of operation, the Environmental Club faces a mountain of problems. With their founding being so recent, it can be difficult to get students interested, and even more so to get them to join. However, with sometimes less than 20 in attendance to their meetings, the Environmental Club still manages to spread awareness and help the environment in every small way they can. The drive to keep going despite circumstances that could hinder other clubs is fueled almost entirely by the passion of it’s members.

Senior Allie Raines has been involved with the environmental club since 2019, the year of its founding. While still a freshman, Raines was offered a position as co-president, and has since become sole president of the club. Raines is stressing the importance of more people getting involved, and helping in any way they can, no matter how small.

“You don’t have to suddenly change your entire life to be vegan and have no plastic in your life ever,” Raines said. “I’m not gonna say I don’t have plastic in my life, I do. But it can be a lot of little changes that make big impacts.”

This advice was echoed by multiple other members. In her sophomore year, senior Marissa Wortketter took Environmental Science and wanted to continue that type of work. Instead of failing so she could take it again, she joined the Environmental Club. Now the club treasurer, Wortketter is looking to get the environment more into public consciousness.

“I think raising awareness is the most important thing you can do,” Wortketter said.”Just posting something on your Snapchat story, or something like that is such a small change, but it can make a big difference, and it takes two seconds.”

With the usual staff sponsor, Mrs. Staback, out on maternity leave, the risk of club collapse was apparent, yet the club persisted. Cassie Flores, the library media specialist, took over temporarily, and is dedicated to keeping things running smoothly. Flores made it clear that even if someone doesn’t think they can help, there’s always something they can do.

“I think to high schoolers, it feels like maybe they can’t do a lot if they don’t have money to donate, or if they can’t go to big protests,” Flores said. “But it’s the small things that students can do. That’s what we focus on.”