This year, the organization “A Sustainable Future” (ASF) with the help of the Morris Hills Environmental Action Club (EAC) hosted a Climate Convention. This event was financially supported by the NJ Research and Defense Council and the Jane Goodall Institute. The goal of this event was to bring awareness to saving the environment through creative works. “A Sustainable Future,” the EAC Club, Mrs. Stauss, Ms. Paulson, Mrs. Bauer, and Carolyn He helped organize and make the convention possible. Mrs. Stauss hosted the first three days of the Climate Convention (March 26, 27, and 28) in her classroom which held a tie-dye session, card-making workshop, and silk screening. Students were able to bring in shirts, bags, or other items to decorate using a variety of materials such as stamps, paint, ink, collages, etc. The first three days of the ASF Climate Convention focused on bringing awareness to the environment and thinking green through art and creative expression. Morris Hills students loved these activities! Sophomore Faith Bode said, “During the convention, I had a lot of fun tie-dying tote bags and I learned a lot about local environmental issues that I didn’t even know existed.”

The final three days of the convention strived to inform students about the environment through special guest speakers and even student presentations. On April 9, after school, ASF Ms. Paulson and the MH HOPE Club helped and supported in hosting a Zoom Meeting featuring guest speakers including Ms. Stettler with NJ Watershed Ambassador for Americorps. The people featured on the panel during the meeting shared how they help the environment through a multitude of different ways. The theme throughout the discussion was that from an accountant to a marine biologist, anyone and everyone can help in some way or another.

Their final meetings on April 16 and 23 ended the convention with student presentations regarding environmental awareness which featured sophomore Faith Bode who discussed the importance of recycling, and her presentation won 1st place with a reward of $30! The second-place winner won $20 and the third-place winner won $10. Though originally planned for just one day, student interest and audience engagement extended the student presentations to two! At the end of the meeting, everyone celebrated the success of the event with cookies for everyone to enjoy. Overall, the ASF’s Climate Convention was a success and the clubs and teachers plan to continue this as an annual event to raise environmental awareness.