Asking the Big Questions at Our Earth Day Assembly
Commonwealth students have a reputation for asking thoughtful, probing questions, whether in class or in the hallway with friends in between periods. On April 3, 2025, Commonwealth’s Earth Day Assembly afforded students the opportunity to discuss some of the most complex and nuanced questions they will tackle in their lifetimes: Who or what is responsible for climate change? What can be done about it? What can I do about it?
Commonwealth’s Environmental Club, led by Anya ’25 and Lillian ’25, organized the assembly with an eye toward helping all students connect with environmentalism, whether or not they think of themselves as “science kids.” The assembly featured ten different workshops, or “booths” (in true science-fair lingo), some student- and some teacher-led, with each student attending a total of three booths throughout the forty-five minute period.
For those students seeking a more traditionally academic experience, a number of workshops functioned as mini classes, offering insights into specific scientific, historical, and/or cultural phenomena. Science teacher Emma Sundberg spoke with students about wetlands, a crucial yet sometimes overlooked piece of our ecosystem. She reminded attendees of wetlands’ role as a biological powerhouse: forty percent of species on earth depend on wetlands in some way, including humans, who would face significant flooding problems without them. Yet, wetlands in the U.S. have been decimated—reduced by half—since this country was founded.
Chris Spalding, physics and astronomy teacher, provided a lesson on the physics of the Greenhouse Effect, particularly why carbon dioxide warms our atmosphere. To arrive at the answer, Mr. Spalding introduced students to its history, including the first physics publication by an American woman (Eunice Foote), the discovery of quantum mechanics, and even the question of the potential for life on other planets. English teacher Dan Cottle, who has been leading a lunchtime environmental seminar this year, took a more humanities-oriented approach in his workshop. “Is it human nature to cause ecological harm?” he queried as he opened the discussion. While there was no clear consensus among students, all of them grappled with the questions that inevitably followed: Which humans, and when? How is our understanding of nature different from that of non-Western cultures?
Students stepped up to lead equally fascinating and educational workshops, such as Mellanie ’25 and Jake ’26, who presented on the evolution of water filtration, dating back thousands of years and up through modern technologies like reverse osmosis and UV disinfection. What do we do with water once we’re done with it? How should regulations around water filtration be put in place, and what should they account for?
Other students were eager to proffer advice on how individuals can do their part to take care of the world around them. Natan ’27 and Kate ’26 hosted “An Amalgamation of Advice and Advocacy,” where they described concrete ways in which high-school students can make an environmental impact. From composting to speaking at Massachusetts committee hearings to shopping locally, their advice offered peers a wide range of methods to incorporate environmentalism into their lives. “I have always struggled figuring out what I can do to help, and figured other people felt the same, so I wanted to share the things I came up with, even if they’re small,” Kate said. In a similar vein, Ella ’25 and Milana ’25 led a workshop focused on volunteering opportunities, providing suggestions of organizations where students can complete community service while supporting the environment in their communities. And Anya and Lillian challenged their peers to think critically about their consumption of clothing in their “How to Be Cute and Thrifty” workshop. With tens of millions of tons of textiles dumped in landfills each year, Anya and Lillian emphasized the importance of ditching “fast fashion” in favor of more sustainable options, including thrifting, as well as considering how much clothing you really need to buy in the first place. Anya also made the case for learning how to sew, having enjoyed it herself: “I’m able to make things that are tailor-made to my measurements,” she said. “Not only will you get a fun new hobby and be more sustainable, you’ll also be able to get clothes that fit you really well.”
Hands-on workshops were highlights of the morning, including an “Earthy Touch Tank,” headed by Eliana ’27. The “touch tank” showcased leaves, grass, dirt, and other earthy elements that largely go ignored in our day-to-day lives, inviting participants to get up close and think more deeply about their unique qualities and the roles they play in our environment. “Connecting with nature makes me happy, so I assume it makes other people happy, too,” said Eliana. “I collected plants, mushrooms, soil, acorns, a crabapple, and miscellaneous fruit stuff and then compiled some fun facts—biology related, etymology related, food-culture related, and more—to share with people so they can learn interesting things, too,” she said. In a similar vein, photography teacher Mx. Korman provided an opportunity to collaborate on Earth Day–inspired artwork, as students in their workshop used dried flowers and recycled materials to create a large cyanotype that will soon adorn our walls.
In “Cookies and Questions” with Spanish teacher Mónica Schilder, students sat in a quintessentially Commonwealth environment: enjoying a snack and good company, asking contemplative questions, and engaging in respectful but impassioned dialogue with each other about thorny issues. In a discussion about who or what bears the responsibility for causing climate change, students offered different answers: governments, corporations, economic systems. One student reflected on capitalism, “We need to get the most out of everything all the time, and that doesn’t support sustainability or long-term growth.” Another, on personal responsibility, offered, “All you can really do is mitigate.”
Questions surrounding climate change may have elusive answers, but our community left our first Earth Day Assembly prepared and invigorated to keep asking them.