Earth Day celebrations came to life at Sacred Heart Greenwich once again April 22. The school has held its annual all-school Earth Day celebration since 2022, inviting interdivisional collaboration. During this celebration, the Environmental Stewardship Committee organized multiple engaging events that inspired the whole school and fostered awareness of the need to protect the Earth. Mrs. Christine Gerrity, Co-Director of College Counseling, and Mrs. Marnie McLaughlin, Upper School Art Teacher and Visual Arts Department Chair, organized this day with months of planning leading up to it.
United States (US) citizens first celebrated Earth Day April 22, 1970, according to earthday.org. The day started as a motivation to treat the Earth well, stemming from the large amounts of car gasoline and carbon dioxide (CO2) emittance into the air. Mr. Gaylord Nelson, a US Senator from Wisconsin, organized a demonstration to raise awareness of these issues affecting the Earth’s health. Following this event, rallies took place across the country, garnering the support of 20 million Americans. At the end of 1970, the US established the Environmental Protection Agency, a key component in the recognition of Earth Day, according to kids.nationalgeographic.com.
Approaching its fourth year, Sacred Heart’s Earth Day celebration turned into reality by Mrs. Gerrity and Mrs. McLaughlin, who put in hours of effort to plan the day. In the days leading up to the celebration, students had the opportunity to bring old t-shirts back to life by applying the signature Earth Day 2026 design with a heat press. Mrs. McLauglin commented on what inspired her to take action for Earth Day.
“I’ve always been interested in conservation and am a nature lover,” Mrs. McLaughlin said. “When Mrs. Gerrity approached me about co-chairing the Sacred Heart Earth Day festivities, her enthusiasm was truly contagious, and we began to brainstorm many exciting ideas. Our goal was to engage students in hands-on, creative experiences that hopefully spark curiosity, a sense of agency, and meaningful action. If even one student leaves inspired to care for the environment, then we’ve achieved something meaningful.”
The Earth Day celebration began with an all-school Opening Ceremony in the Athletic Center that centered around sustainability and creativity. A new initiative featured an upcycled fashion show, using garments designed and modeled by students with repurposed textiles. Mr. Sean Lowery, Middle and Upper School Orchestra and Chorus Director, and the student Bottle Blower Band performed an opening song. After the ceremony, students broke into their advisories to participate in over 25 workshops focused on conservation, appreciating the natural world, ecological awareness, and reducing, reusing, and recycling plastics. Lastly, the day concluded with a special keynote featuring a live wildlife presentation by the Sky Hunters. The organization brought in owls and hawks for a flight demonstration and educated students about the wildlife.
Senior Annie Slocum, Co-Founder and Co-Head of the Garden Club, recited the Sacred Heart Land Acknowledgment Statement during the Opening Ceremony. She commented on her strong passion for raising awareness about conservation, which ultimately led her to take action and contribute to the celebration.
“I hope people take out of this experience that a love of nature can be developed in everyday experiences,” Annie said. “Whether walking outside one’s home, or taking in the many marvelous spaces of our beautiful campus, nature can remind oneself that there is a purpose bigger than ourselves and to stay present in the beauty of the current moment. I was motivated to get involved in Earth Day because of my love of nature. Whether working in the garden, hiking, biking, or paddleboarding in Vermont, nature continuously grounds me and reminds me to work towards staying present in the moment.”
Featured Image by Bella Boone ’27
