Students from Denver push district to combat climate change

Denver Public Schools operates an electric school bus and solar panels in 46 locations. There are also 126 school and community gardens. Students are pushing the district for more to make it a national leader in climate action and sustainability.

“I really want to ensure a livable future for me and my generation,” Amelia Fernández Rodríguez, a freshman at DSST: Conservatory Green high school, recently told the school board. She is part of a group called DPS Students for Climate Action.

The board is expected be passed A collection of short policiesThursday could have huge implications. These policies would direct the district’s conservation of natural resources and reduce its carbon footprint through clean energy technology and reducing greenhouse gases emissions.

The policies would also require districts to reduce the impact of climate change upon marginalized groups and prepare students in order to shift to a green economy.

“All students will be conscientious citizens who take bold action on the climate crisis post-graduation,” one proposed policy says.

Grid View

• 
  
  
  
  Ellie Goldstein, co president of the East High School Sustainability Club unloads blue pine trees that were planted during a TreePlenish event at East High School in Denver.
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  Gabriel Nagel (co-president East High School Sustainability Club), and Mariah Rosensweig (vice-president), chuckle while they coordinate with other students.
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  During the Tree-Plenish plant event, labels for different tree species were created by the East High School Sustainability Club.
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  (Left: Tree saplings wait in water to be planted at a Tree -Plenish plant event. (Right), A shovel rests on a lawn chair, ready to be used for planting.
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  East High School Sustainability Club member Molly Malek, and co-president Gabriel Nagel plant blue spruce saplings as Jack Antonson feeds horses grass on a property located in Boulder County.
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  Rachel Blaine, a member the East High School Sustainability Club, jumps on her shovel and digs a hole for planting a tree.
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  Jack Antonson, East High School Sustainability Club member, shows the worms he discovered while planting a tree.
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  From left, East High School Sustainability Club members Gia Ferneau, Molly Malek, Rachel Blaine, and Gabriel Nagel leave a Boulder County property after planting five trees.
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  East High School Sustainability Club Co-president Gabriel Nagel’s sweater reads “Change Climate Change” as he get into the car after a Tree-Plenish planting event put on by the club across the Denver metro area. Nagel’s climate activism started soon after a wildfire came within blocks of his home some years ago.
  
  

Although the district already takes steps to combat climate change, officials claim that the new policies are more meaningful because they were developed by students.

“They’re standing up for themselves and saying we need to be prepared for these challenges,” said Director of Sustainability LeeAnn Kittle. “Sure, we’re going to continue down this path regardless but now there’s a sense of urgency knowing that they feel a sense of urgency.”

The policies are known as “ends statements,” which are akin to goals for the 90,000-student district. The school board adopted a new governance structure last year and votes on the end statements. This is what the superintendent uses as a guide for the district.

Board members said they are amazed and inspired by the students’ passion.

“When you all get to sit in these seats and your kids are in schools, or maybe even earlier, you’ll be able to look back and recognize the work you’ve done in 2022 has had a long-lasting impact,” board Vice President Tay Anderson said, addressing the students.

Students of DPS for Climate Action were Currently working on the policiesYou can do it for a year. Students from various high schools in the city met last winter. They were inspired by students in Salt Lake City, who pushed for their school boards. Adopt a sustainability solution, began work on a similar policy in Denver.

The students, most of whom are also members of their schools’ sustainability clubs, had support from a Denver parent, district officials, and school board members who attended the group’s meetings.

“I don’t want to leave without having done something and leaving an impact,” said Gabriel Nagel, a junior at East High School. “And we have the unique chance as students to push that change.”

The students’ goals for the district were lofty: 100% clean electricity by 2030 and a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. While the goals haven’t changed, the proposed policies are aspirational and don’t spell out specifics. Kittle stated that the sustainability management plan that the district has received from a local firm to help determine if the goals are feasible and set a timeline to achieve them will be a catalyst for this.

Kittle also said that the district had:

• Installed LED lighting districtwide.
• Solar panels can be installed on the roofs of 45 buildings in the district and one site at ground level.
• Partnered with the city of Denver to install a solar canopy — like a carport with solar panels on top — at Northeast Early College high school next summer.
• Last fall, the company purchased its first grant-funded electric vehicle and charging station. It plans to purchase two more buses as well as a second charging station.
• Establishment of 126 gardens on district land, 38 community gardens.
• To upgrade school heating and ventilation systems, used federal COVID relief funds
• We worked with the Colorado Energy Office on improving its facilities and lowering energy costs.
• We were contracted to compost at 50 schools with our waste hauler.

Maya Kitei, a South High School junior, stated that Denver Public Schools must do more to combat climate change because it affects all staff members, students, and families.

“Our futures depend on us taking action,” she said.

Students want to see the district move boldly.

“We all started learning about this from a young age,” said East High junior Mariah Rosensweig. “It can become overwhelming to see as you’re growing up — ‘Oh my gosh, this is the state of the world.’ We’re legitimately terrified and for good reason. So we’re trying to instill that into the adults.”

Melanie Asmar is a senior journalist for Chalkbeat Colorado. She reports on Denver Public Schools. Contact Melanie at [email protected].