Leadership Partners with Wellness Center to Hold Environmental Wellness Fair

By Zubin Acuña, Staff Writer

// To raise awareness about environmental issues and bring students together, Acalanes High School Leadership’s Environmental Board and Student Support Board, in coordination with the Wellness Center, hosted an Environmental Wellness Fair for students in the front quad on Oct. 22. 

   Leadership organized a number of activities, such as trash sorting and environmental trivia competitions, to make learning about the environment fun and engaging.

   “Our goal for the fair was to create an event to educate our peers about being more environmentally friendly. We wanted to do this in a fun way to get people to be more interested in it and to hopefully relieve some stress from school,” Environmental Board member and junior Gabriela Benveniste said.

   The event also aimed to provide a safe space for students to hang out and bond with classmates.

   “[The fair] was more just trying to make student connections with people around. We had some activities like our orange peeling contest for you to group up with somebody you don’t know and compete against them, and it brings more students together, and it makes them feel better,” Student Support Board Co-Head and senior Patrick Nicosia said.

   Attendees enjoyed the fair and noted its welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. 

   “I think it was a really good way to bring together the Acalanes community because it was fun and there was music, and for people just walking by it looked like something that you could join, and there were all different grade levels there and anyone was able to participate,” Gundacker said.

   Although the fair is a one-time event, the Environmental Board wants to make conversations about environmental issues a more regular practice on campus moving forward.

   “One event the Environmental Board is planning is a monthly environmental council to bring awareness to environmental issues specifically on our campus. Our plan is to improve our sustainability at Acalanes with a group of students that are passionate about making change,” Benveniste said.