By Lauren Albright, Communications Manager, Mercy Education
In our Mercy schools, Earth Day, April 22, is not a one-off event to celebrate the environment. The annual commemoration underscores their dutiful year-round efforts to cultivate not only a greener planet but also more conscientious, knowledgeable and compassionate stewards of creation, our future leaders.
Crusader Consignments
Two such leaders, juniors Ava Bottino and Caroline Gouley, co-founded an on-campus thrift store at Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall, in Milford, Connecticut. “The Sisters of Mercy are all about putting your beliefs and values into action, so we wanted to do the same,” the students said.
Their venture counteracts the environmental toll of fast fashion. “We also want to bring awareness to the impacts your shopping has on communities around the world, especially in areas where women are paid a substandard wage for their work,” Ava said.
With the support of school administration and April Kelley, science teacher and moderator of the Environmental Club, the students found a location on campus for the thrift store, and recruited other students to join their cause, thus establishing a formal student club – Crusader Consignments. The club partnered with the National Honor Society’s collected donations of gently used clothing throughout Lent, stocking the store in time for its grand opening on Earth Day.
“I want the store to raise awareness for what we can each do to support the environment and women’s rights on a global scale,” said Caroline.
Meatless Mondays and More
Sisters of Mercy ministering at Mercy Career & Technical High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, rejoice in the involvement of the school community around the Mercy Critical Concern for Earth.
“For the long term, we believe that we plant the seed so that our present co-workers and students will nurture and bring to fruition an ongoing commitment to our Earth,” said Sisters Barbara Hoffman and Marta McDonnell.
School administrators designated Earth as the school’s theme for the year, reflecting the theme of the Mercy Education Conference held in Kingston, Jamaica, in October 2023. Recent projects have included:
- Collecting shoes for Soles4Souls, an effort which kept over 200 pairs of shoes out of landfills.
- Encouraging individuals to reduce their carbon footprint through carpooling, public transportation, biking and walking.
- Establishing year-round Meatless Mondays in the school cafeteria to reduce the environmental burden of meat production.
Amanda Muir, administrative assistant to the president/vice president and science instructor at Mercy CTE, said she educates students about our collective obligation to care for creation. “God wants us to live in communion with the rest of creation and to be responsible for it, not destructive in it. I try to present that viewpoint and remind them that if we destroy our home, then we will not have a home.”
Living with the Land
Animal husbandry and farming/greenhouse technology are among the programs offered at St. John Bosco Vocational Training Centre in Hatfield, Manchester, Jamaica.
The school utilizes biogas technology, a process by which animal manure is decomposed, producing biogas, or methane gas, which can be used for heating and cooling, cooking and more. The process eliminates the odor from the manure, producing fertilizer that is more cost effective, ecofriendly, and not prone to flies.
SJB also boasts a new orchard of 21 fruit trees, planted and maintained by members of the 4H Club, and students recently audited “vampire” power usage in electronic devices on the campus, using that data to implement energy-saving measures.
Sister Susan Frazer, the school’s executive director, is candid about the challenges inherent with new initiatives. “Life lessons are woven through this work, the ups and the downs,” she said. “We try to do things to promote the kids’ understanding, knowledge and love of [caring for the Earth]. … There’s nothing like a fresh tomato right off the vine or a fresh egg out of a chicken. If we can nurture a love for that in our students, and a respect for nature … then we’re helping shape a generation who care about building a healthier ecosystem and living more in touch with the land.”
Planting Seeds for a Sustainable Future
Reverence for Earth is one of many ways that Mercy students around the globe put faith into action. Classroom learning around ecological topics extends to initiatives and activities that challenge students and educators to live as responsible stewards of creation. Learn more about how our schools are responding to the cry of the Earth in the new Earth Day edition of Mercy Impact, a quarterly publication Mercy Education.