Photos: Friday 'All About Earth Day' at Apple Valley's School of Environmental Studies

For a school that consistently incorporates environmental themes into its curriculum, Earth Day is a big event.

"It's like homecoming," said senior Anna Cousin, one of six student organizers of the school’s annual Earth Day celebration.

Each year, a handful of senior students at the District 196  school—made up of juniors and seniors who elect to attend—organizes speakers and presentations for the school’s 400 students to celebrate Earth Day, learn about the environment and also act on what they learn, said organizer Elli Rosenthal. The entire student body is excused from all regular classes.

“It’s all about Earth Day,” said organizer Lydia Campbell.

This year’s theme was “walking lightly” when it comes to humans’ environmental impact, organizer Nikki Mardell said.

“We’re really focused this year on how we can personally reduce our carbon footprint,” organizer Ellie Whitson said.

To kick off Friday's events, Gov. Mark Dayton gave a short keynote address to students, community leaders and other members of the public, and entertained several student questions, from whether government could or would mandate businesses to use recycled products, to how it could regulate levels of mercury in local waters. 

"The world that we're using now—consuming now—is the world that you'll inherit," Dayton said during his speech. "Sound environmental practice is really about all of your and your future."

For the rest of the morning, students will hear from speakers of their choice, like Mimi Holmes, part of a backyard chicken co-op in Minneapolis, or Abby Fenton from the Will Steger Foundation, which creates programs focused on environmental education. They’ll see “green” vehicles, including the electric Chevrolet Volt, and electric bicycles. Then, for part of the afternoon, all the students will go out to do Earth Day service project—“rain or shine,” said organizer Haley Schirber.

Despite a curricular focus on environmental issues, Mardell said the Earth Day events inspire her even more. Last year, she learned a lot and felt like she gained skills to go out and create environmental change. It also inspired her to help organize this year’s events.

“I wanted to leave a mark on our school, basically,” she said. She said she holds a philosophy she learned from one of her SES teachers: “The world is run by those who show up.”

Showing up and organizing the Earth Day events was not without challenges. Finding and scheduling speakers and exhibits, and even planning food and compost efforts for the day required planning that began in January.

One vendor dropped out for political reasons because Dayton was the keynote speaker, Cousin said.

But ultimately, it’s exciting to see the event and the entire student body come together, Whitson said.

“I think it’s important to educate people on the different options they have for living sustainable lives,” Rosenthal said. That applies to encouraging people outside school walls to do so, as well.

Earth Day really is an everyday occurrence at SES—one recent activity required students to plan and take a public transit-only route to the University of Minnesota for a field trip, Cousin said.

Others in the community also can continue the spirit of Earth Day on their own, the students said.

A small act—like recycling a soda can—can help, Campbell said. The impact compounds if everyone does it.

“It sounds cliché, but it really does,” she said.