Individual Action for a Global Problem

BY DANA KOBERNICK , COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

A unique LCC distinction, the Certificate of Sustainable Global Leadership (CSGL) recognizes students who have made environmental and global learning a significant priority throughout Senior School. They voluntarily indicate their wish to be considered for the certificate at the beginning of their grade 11 year and must fulfill a set of criteria to receive this recognition.

Though the club does not have a prescribed curriculum, as the content is tailored to the new group each year, the goal is always to get students thinking about the role they play as global citizens. This includes a component dedicated to environmental action, and students are required to participate in a sustainability project.

“Our attention to the environment and sustainability is so important because the impacts of climate change are the most massive and widespread of all issues facing humanity,” says Kyra Sommerhalder ’23. “We all have a moral responsibility to help out as much as we can and to serve the greater good.”

This past year, each student undertook a minimum of six hours of e-learning on the United Nations online platform. The One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership is a collaborative initiative involving more than 30 organizations that help countries pursue action through general climate literacy and the development of knowledge and skills. Following completion of the course hours, the students led discussions on the topics they studied, which included climate change negotiations and health, green fiscal policy, gender equality and human rights in climate action and renewable energy, and gender and the environment.

Our attention to the environment and sustainability is so important because the impacts of climate change are the most massive and widespread of all issues facing humanity

— Kyra Sommerhalder ’23

“The UN courses allowed me to focus on important subjects,” says Matthew Stedman ’23. “I learned about the reasons why there has been damage to the earth and the steps that need to be taken to make improvements.”

The students also spend time discussing what they can do on a personal level and what we, as a school, can do locally, nationally and even globally. They are encouraged to be creative, use their imaginations and think big. On a smaller scale, they end the sessions with at least one actionable item, such as reducing personal shower time or use of air conditioning in the summer.

“The objective is for the students to be better informed,” says Mada Hoteit, grade 11 coordinator, math teacher, and one of two faculty advisors for the CSGL. “We want them to be aware that their actions, no matter how small, have an impact. The grade 11 students are leaders in the school, and the more they initiate activities around sustainability and talk about them with others, the better we are as a school and as a community.”

The grade 11 students are leaders in the school, and the more they initiate activities around sustainability and talk about them with others, the better we are as a school and as a community.

— Mada Hoteit

The CSGL has been applauded for this forward-thinking approach, and LCC has received several requests from colleagues at other schools who would like to learn from the model and create something similar for their students.

I learned about the reasons why there has been damage to the earth and the steps that need to be taken to make improvements.

— Matthew Stedman ’23