During the era of COVID-19, we have been given the opportunity to digitally bring the world to our homes. As a student, I have been a witness to the fruits of the efforts of other students. I have seen Ardsley students rise above and bring their intellect to the table amidst such challenging times.
For one, I was a student speaker at the Ardsley 2030 event with Ananya Sistla, a fellow AHS senior and member of the Environmental Task Force. It was refreshing to hear the community’s urgency to address the climate crisis through informational presentations. The meeting featured some words from Ardsley Mayor Nancy Kaboolian and a representative from Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins’ office. There were two webinar sessions with people of all ages attending. Some were youth climate activists from our own school and others were much older in age with a particular interest in sustainable living. Led by the Ardsley Conservation & Environment Committee, the Ardsley 2030 event’s main goal was to promote tips to reduce our carbon footprint as a community. If you missed the first two sessions, do not fret — Ardsley CEAC is back for their second installment of webinars.
Second, I have spoken at the Ardsley Town Hall, a meeting dedicated to fighting against racism and promoting inclusion within AUFSD. The meeting gave students a platform to lead and direct a difficult conversation. This was a feat considering that it was the first time that we have opened such a dialogue on a large scale. The meeting allowed students to speak on the constructive criticism they had for the school and bring their concerns to the forefront. Without a doubt, this is just the beginning of Ardsley’s potential to produce trailblazers to the world and a snippet of the positive change we have yet to bring to our community.