5 minute read
Girls for the Globe
Pictured: Sidney Rucker ’22
Made Possible by The Emily Pomeranz ’85 Prize for Public Service
The 2020-2021 Emily Pomeranz Prize was awarded to Sidney Rucker ’22 for her project Girls for the Globe. Following are Sidney’s remarks from the Upper School’s celebration of her achievements:
“So, where did I start? I knew going into the Capstone program that I wanted my research focus to be on both civic engagement and STEM, and that I wanted to do something that would have a direct and lasting impact on the community. During the summer before my sophomore year I began to generate a few ideas. I remembered a few of the signature programming experiences I’d had from the previous school year, such as hearing from a chef who assisted people who lived in food deserts to access fresh produce, and visiting the Boys and Girls Club during immersion week at the end of that school year for Capstone. I didn’t know it at the time, but these experiences had a significant impact on the development of my project.
“The fall of my Sophomore year, I finally figured out that I wanted my research focus to be on the environment and food waste. The climate crisis is the most intersectional issue of our generation and is inextricably connected to various systems of oppression and power, disproportionately affecting low-income communities. To affect change, I originally decided that I wanted to create a vermicompost program at the school, because I learned that the gray bins in the lunchroom that are used to collect food scraps were supposed to be compost bins. I wondered, who is out here trying to compost taco meat and chocolate milk? (And if you couldn’t tell by my tone, taco meat and chocolate milk are not a part of the ideal compost pile.) After some research, I learned that the school already has a partnership with a farm who takes our cooked food scraps. However, I also learned that the food scraps that the chefs use to make our food are not included in the scrap food sent to the farm, those scraps are just thrown away. This inspired me to develop a program using the kitchen’s food scraps for my compost program.
“While developing the program, I spoke with many helpful individuals throughout the school and also consulted with experts outside of the school. A Primary School teacher told me about the old composting program the school used to have. She also explained that the program wasn’t sustainable because the teachers were mainly the ones managing the program and had competing priorities. I was informed that if I were to start a new compost program, it was advised that it would have to be fully managed by students. “I took her advice to heart, and that is when I decided to develop a curriculum for students of all grade levels to learn about their responsibilities to the planet. I decided to name my project Girls for the Globe. In order to truly affect the trajectory of the climate crisis, it will take everyone to get involved, and I figured why not start with everyone at Lyman Circle? I decided on an after-school program for the Primary and Middle School girls, and a club and D3 [Dream. Dare. Do. Elective] for Upper School students. At this point in time, I also decided to do regular composting instead of vermicomposting because it was a cheaper alternative and easier to manage.
“Next, there was also the question of where would the compost go? It took me a while to figure this one out—I even thought about just selling it at a farmer’s market. Then I thought back to the chef who came to visit us and my experience working in the community garden that was at the Boys and Girls Club, and I thought—'Eureka!' A community garden, where we could use the compost created and grow food and donate it all to the Cleveland Food Bank, and various food drives in food deserts in Cleveland. I also decided that I wanted to upcycle the Rain Garden area into a perennial garden that would attract butterflies, bees, and birds to create an overall healthier environment.
“As I solidified my plans for my project, COVID-19 emerged, and everything shut down. Feasibility and the issue of funding came about. As a result of the pandemic, my timelines were affected and I wasn’t able to complete my project by the end of my Junior year like I had planned. I was unable to plan anything in person, and I realized that I had no source of funding for building my community garden.
"The Emily Pomeranz Grant was the first grant that I was able to receive, which really helped to kickstart the physical aspects of my project. Thanks to the donors of the Emily Pomeranz Grant, I was able to purchase wood for garden beds and fencing to begin building my community garden at the Butler Campus. In the coming years, the garden will be used to help fight hunger in the Greater Cleveland area, increase the biodiversity of the Butler Campus, and educate numerous Laurel students on the importance of gardening and taking care of the Earth."
Emily Pomeranz '85
From an early age, Emily Pomeranz ‘85 was an avid follower of politics. She read the Cleveland newspapers regularly and was well-informed about the news and current events. After graduating from Kenyon College and Cleveland State University’s Marshall College of Law, Emily moved to Washington, D.C., where she devoted her career to public service. She spent almost 20 years working as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the Board of Veterans Appeals. Emily used her free time to work on political campaigns, tutor students in need and engage in other community activities. When she could no longer work, she continued to volunteer on issues such as immigrants’ rights and for organizations that provided mediation services. Established in 2017 by her brother William Pomeranz, Ph.D., the deputy director of the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., and by other family and friends, The Emily Pomeranz Prize for Public Service is awarded annually to support a Junior who has proposed a public service project for her spring or summer break.
