To truly walk the talk, Summit Christian Academy in Cedar Park is innovating solutions to environmental challenges right in their backyard. The K-12 institution, known for its sprawling campus, has taken a significant strike forward in marrying education with sustainability, giving a hands-on approach to solving real-world problems. Melissa Tapperson, an Environmental Studies teacher at the academy, is steering this initiative with a clear objective in sight. "Our world today has many problems, including climate change, water security, loss of animal habitat, ocean acidification, pollution, the disconnect between humans and the natural world, and growing consumerism, among many others," Tapperson said, as reported by the City of Austin. Her mission is to see these problems as starting points for innovation and problem-solving rather than mere cause for despondency.
This pursuit has led eleventh and twelfth graders at Summit to collaboratively ever more passionately to design sustainable projects for their campus. The inception point for these projects is what they call a 'dream walk', an opportunity to envision a greener campus aligned with their dreams. Through the Bright Green Future Grants program, these student-led initiatives have been given a platform and the means to manifest their ideas into physical realities. As stated by the City of Austin, Tapperson expressed, "The Bright Green Future Grants program allowed them to make their dreams specific and attainable."
The academy's recent successful grab of two grants is a testament to its proactive stance. One grant aids in constructing an outdoor classroom, and another supports the installation of rain barrels. Savannah, a student at Summit, shared her yearning for outdoor learning: "Me and my friends, we’re always inside, and we always want to go outside, but our teachers always tell us no," she told the City of Austin. “We’re always in the classroom, and we’re thinking about school work, school work, school work. I think if we’re outside and we can actually see other things than the front of a school board — it lets us clear our minds.” This sentiment was put into action through the grant, which facilitated the erection of an outdoor learning environment complete with benches, a stage, and notably, a green roof.
