Claire Zhang

SAGE members collaborate and discuss plans for the AI water usage project. The club surveyed Ladue students about their usage of AI Jan. 9. “We want to stress the importance of environmentalism and sustainability because the protection of our Earth and the well-being of our environment is the number one thing that can determine our future,” Alton said.

Student Action for a Greener Earth held a meeting Jan. 14 after school in room 2326 to discuss plans for their AI water usage project. The club is led by co-presidents Carmela Alton (10) and Sophie Cowlen (11) and sponsored by social studies teacher Kelley Krejnik.

“I joined SAGE right when I started high school,” Alton said. “I was inspired to join because I founded the Environmental Club at the middle school in eighth grade, and we came to the high school for one of their meetings to check out the greenhouse and learn a little bit about what they were doing. I knew from that day that I was going to join the club once I came to high school.”

At the start of the meeting, members reviewed the results of the AI survey, which received 167 responses. The objective of the AI water usage project is to use the data from the survey to research how much water Ladue students use for AI. 

“The end goal is to make a visual that educates our community, including staff and students, about how much water we use and why that’s so important for our environment,” Alton said.

Additionally, Krejnik discussed new volunteer opportunities for SAGE members to become involved in sustainability efforts in their community, with support from organizations including the Missouri Botanical Garden and Olivette in Bloom. 

“My goal is to encourage students to turn their ideas into meaningful actions,” Krejnik said. “I want to connect them with resources and experts that help them succeed with those ideas.”

SAGE is participating in the Green Schools Quest, an annual competition that challenges schools to create low-cost sustainability projects. This year’s theme is water, which connects to the club’s AI water usage project. Aside from the motive to win the competition, SAGE hopes to promote sustainability within the community.

“It’s not just the students and staff that can make change and participate in environmentalism,” Alton said. “We’re educating the community for future generations to come and we’re building the foundation for real school projects that make change.”