The Green Team of Benjamin N. Cardozo High School held virtual climate education sessions for fourth- and fifth-graders at P.S. 203, since the first week of April.
The Green Team initiated such an effort with the hope that teaching younger students about environmental conflicts would encourage the growth of sustainable habits in their everyday lives. In the previous month, the elementary students have engaged in discussions on how to overturn different types of pollution.
“[Climate education] improves my knowledge on the environment,” said Jason Jin, a fourth-grader at P.S. 203. “I learned that gas makes the air dirty, and [that] noise pollution harms the Earth.”
Many students have found the program to be immediately intriguing, as it suited well with their personal interests.
“I feel that climate education is great because I’m a science guy,” said Andy Liu, a fifth-grader. “This class teaches me a lot. I learned about a lot of different [types of] pollution and how to fix them.”
Learning about climate change, continued Liu, has not only enhanced his knowledge on current crises, but has caused a shift in his attitude toward the environment, as he now understands more about the problems that surface as a result of it.
Other students said that participating in the climate education program has motivated them to take action.
“I enjoy it very much because we are taught examples that most of us can connect to,” said Priscila Blanchet, a fifth-grader. “Thanks to the Green Team, I learned the importance of taking care of the Earth.”
According to Blanchet, receiving climate education has inspired her to attend a park cleanup with friends and use fewer plastic bottles.
The high school students of the Cardozo Green Team, too, feel that working as educators in the climate education program has been a rewarding and enlightening experience.
“Teaching the students of P.S. 203 has opened my eyes to the importance of early education,” said Jasmine Germany, Secretary of the Green Team. “Giving lessons to others about the environment is such a positive thing, and I am proud to be a part of it.”
Despite having to host the program virtually, the Green Team takes pride in the beneficial progress that it has made in the first month of it.
“It is not [ideal], as we are teaching from home due to the pandemic,” said Daniela Rodriguez, a member of the Green Team. “But the team knows how to make the best of it.”
