Walking around Olympia’s campus, you may have noticed several strategically placed recycling bins in places of heavy foot traffic. This is all a part of the growing green initiative spearheaded by our AP Environmental Science teacher, Gloria Boisvert. Despite only becoming a member of the Olympia faculty last year, she had already set her sights on making Olympia a more environmentally friendly community. She stated that the school didn’t feel geared towards sustainability enough and wanted to change that.

Today, she is fully invested in turning Olympia into a fully green campus. Obviously, she can’t accomplish such an ambitious task alone, so she is going to need help from our students, faculty and the broader community. 

Boisvert already has a bold plan laid out.When asked about her short term goals she expressed that she wanted to “Instill in my students the desire to do something, to take some type of action, to cause change.” In the long run, she wants “to see all students at Olympia become involved in some sustainable project, either within our school community or within the communities where they live.” However, making this dream a reality won’t be a simple task. Her biggest obstacle in terms of seeing her goal come to fruition is the  lack of involvement on part of the student body.

Boisvert believes that sometimes we don’t quite understand how much of an impact small actions can make and this stalls change, as many think that their decisions mean nothing in the long run. To combat this, students can start  by using the recycling bins around campus properly.  This means no food, juices or other non-recyclable materials being disposed of. The faculty can help by simply “giving a minute of their time every day to address environmental issues.” Boisvert expressed the outpouring of support from her colleagues and especially from Principal Gorberg and Assistant Principal Nelthropp has made a significant impact on her mission. 

What changes can we expect to see around campus as a result of this initiative? Initial efforts include trying to get the butterfly garden up and running. This garden can be found on the lawn before entering the outside seating for the cafeteria. If you take a closer look at the garden, you will find all types of plants such as basil, tomato, and milkweed. Although this project is not as grandiose as she hoped, Boisvert’s plans extend far beyond that. Her next goal is restoring the hydroponic greenhouse located near the tennis courts. The hydroponic form of cu

ltivation does not use soil but instead uses rich water, which allows for year-round growth. “Hopefully some individuals will help us in funding all the repairs needed, the pipes need to be fixed and we need an expert to help us get it going,” Boisvert stated. If we can get some funding we can expect to see our greenhouse revitalized and yielding vegetables for future generations of Titans.

If we can resolve these issues, it would provide students with the opportunity to learn how to care for and maintain plants and the environment around them. Boisvert believes that her campaign will help kindle a love for the environment among the student body and spark a greater change in our world.