Vision

Our vision was to make RHA a greener, more sustainable school where students take the lead in caring for the planet and each other. We wanted to raise awareness about climate change and show how small actions—like planting, sharing, and learning—can lead to big, positive changes in our school and community. Inspired by the Jewish value of tikkun olam (repairing the world), we imagined a school where students could grow real food, reduce waste, and inspire others to take care of the Earth.

Action

To bring our vision to life, we took many actions throughout the year.
We:

Expanded the school garden by planting edible plants and native species that support local pollinators.

Built a living wall inside the school to add greenery and improve indoor air quality.

Held a Passover costume drive, book drive, and RHA T-shirt swap to promote reusing and sharing.

Organized a school-wide Earth Week, which included:

Daily Kahoot quizzes about the environment

A student-created slide show about climate action

A “Me Tree” reflection activity

Making grass heads to learn about plant care in a fun way

These activities helped students and families learn new ways to care for the Earth and support each other.

Reflection & Celebration

We are so proud of what we accomplished together. Through our project, we learned that everyone—no matter their age—can make a difference. Our garden is now a living symbol of our care for the environment, and our shared items have found new homes instead of going to waste.

We celebrated by inviting classes to tour the garden and living wall, sharing photos and reflections, and recognizing the student leaders who helped guide each part of the project. We also took time to reflect on what we learned—about sustainability, teamwork, and the power of action.

This project helped us see that when we work together, we can grow something amazing.