Environmental Action Club: Student-Led Sustainability Initiatives from Lake Erie to Campus Composting

Project Summary

Hershey Montessori School launched a student-led Environmental Action Club for grades 7-12, meeting twice monthly for hiking and sustainability projects, plus weekend habitat restoration work. Students conducted campus sustainability audits, toured microplastics research facilities, organized Lake Erie beach cleanups, and developed campus-wide education campaigns while pursuing grant funding for environmental improvements.

Detailed Story

Matthew Sorrick established the Environmental Action Club in Fall 2025, creating a student-driven platform for grades 7-12 to engage in hands-on environmental work. The club meets after school twice per month, with each meeting including hiking alongside environmental project work, plus two fall and two spring weekend days dedicated to off-campus habitat restoration and sustainability projects with local organizations. Students identified and pursued multiple interconnected sustainability initiatives. They conducted comprehensive analysis of plastic consumption on campus and researched sustainable strategies to reduce single-use plastics. A parallel recycling audit examined campus recycling efforts and developed strategies to educate the community on reducing recyclables and recycling more efficiently. The club organized a fall cleanup at Mentor Headlands State Park along Lake Erie, directly addressing beach pollution. A highlight project involved touring CLEANR’s research lab at the Thinkbox makerspace at Case Western Reserve University. Students learned about this globally-sold device that attaches to washing machine water outlets and captures over 90% of microplastics from clothing—addressing the leading cause of microplastics in aquatic systems. Students investigated shifting campus paper towels to compostable alternatives that could integrate with the school’s existing food and farm composting system. The club submitted a comprehensive Go Green grant application through Geauga & Trumbull Counties Soil & Water Conservation District to fund campus sustainability improvements. Students plan to attend the Northeast Ohio Youth Climate Summit in March and will present their research findings and recommendations to the campus community after spring break, sharing plastic reduction strategies, paper towel composting proposals, and the campus-wide recycling education campaign.

Impact Statement

Students developed leadership skills through self-directed project identification and implementation. Conducted direct environmental service through Lake Erie beach cleanup. Gained exposure to cutting-edge environmental technology and research through CLEANR lab tour, learning about microplastics pollution from textile washing. Created actionable campus sustainability plans across multiple domains (plastic reduction, recycling education, composting expansion). Pursued grant funding to support campus improvements. Plans for campus-wide education campaign will extend impact beyond club members