At the end of May, 15 Upper School students enrolled in environmental and sustainability classes represented Rye Country Day at the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) Student Symposium. The presentations were the culminating event of CELF’s Civic Science: Inquiry to Action Program,  which engages students in hands-on learning to identify, analyze, and solve environmental and climate justice issues that impact their schools, neighborhoods, and beyond. 

Sparking meaningful conversations about changemaking for the greater good, the RCDS ambassadors presented their year-long and spring semester projects to an audience of their peers, policymakers, scientists, and community leaders.

RCDS CELF Symposium Projects Presentations

BloomAir: Daphné Panié ’27 and Tancrède Weinstein ’27 
Student-engineered pollinator shelter that monitors environmental conditions in real-time and fosters climate literacy through interactive digital tools.

Trash Talkers: Charley Kercher ‘28 , Madeleine Stokes ‘28, and Natalie Zhu ‘28
A grassroots initiative promoting thrifting and reuse to reduce textile waste and overconsumption, launched with an RCDS community event on Earth Day.

Pollinator Partnerships: Ray Cao ’26
In light of a local butterfly garden’s decline, this project focused on restoring vital pollinator habitats through collaboration with regional sustainability committees. By securing funding, labor, and permits from the Rye Brook Sustainability Committee, the student successfully revitalized the garden, highlighting the power of civic partnerships in supporting biodiversity.

Turning the Tide: Miles Dinger ’26, Keaton Greenberg ’26, and Caden Powers ’26
A legislative proposal to strengthen the New York State Nutrient Runoff Law aimed at reducing nitrogen pollution in the Long Island Sound and mitigating climate impacts.

TrashView: Michael Goneos ’27 and Kaitlyn Wong ’27
A cutting-edge AI-powered waste sorting system designed to improve recycling accuracy and reduce landfill contamination through intelligent automation.

PlastiLess: Shawn Wei ’26
A science research project exploring the use of nanocomposites for the photocatalytic degradation of microplastics—a promising approach for large-scale environmental cleanup.

The Clean Water Project: Juliette Moore ’27
An investigation into natural disinfection methods using thyme and clove essential oils to kill E. coli and coliforms in lake water, offering a low-cost, accessible water treatment option.

Carbon Canopies: Parker Maritzen ’27 and Marguerite McDonald ’27
A campus-based initiative to raise awareness about deforestation through educational signage on tree carbon sequestration, crafted from invasive wood and paired with a custom-built website.