My time as Green Team President throughout the 2016-2017 school year was truly one of the best experiences of my high school career. Throughout my time as president I had plenty of adventures with my Green Team family. I remember my first experience as president was participating in the Chris Campbell Cleanup at Hammock's Beach State Park. I was a little nervous because I didn't know many people in Green Team and was afraid I'd have trouble fitting in. It wasn't long, however, before I found myself making friends with my fellow Green Team members. I remember everyone being so nice and friendly towards me - and not because I was president.
Throughout the year, I'd have to say some of my favorite memories were times we gave back to the environment together. Opposumwood Acres was definitely a great time, even though we DIDN'T get to feed baby squirrels :(. I remember showing up and seeing a peacock just strutting around like a zoo or something - it was wild. Another great Green Team memory was our vegan Thanksgiving, where I earned my (hated) nickname, the Tofurkanator. (To preface, I am NOT a tofu chef. My knowledge of tofu cooking is extremely limited) So, I volunteered to make the turkey out of tofu and, long story short, I kinda just CARVED a turkey out of blocks of completely uncooked tofu. It was disgusting and, frankly, ugly. Anyway, we dumped the monster into the trash to the tune of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On". It was beautiful. Overall, if I had any advice to offer our future Green Team presidents, it would be to make friends with your members. People will appreciate someone who is personable and invested in their lives. Don't just be a boss - be a leader and someone your fellow members can talk to. Also, don't expect anything to go according to plan. Be ready for anything, like saving baby birds or being cornered by eight-year-olds on Mrs. Downey's trampoline (don't ask). I wish y'all luck with your future endeavors. |
The Green Team motto is to "Leaf your legacy, not your footprint." Green Team has the ability to affect so many, just with the smallest of things. By us ridding the campus of debris, not only are we providing a healthier and more appealing atmosphere to the rest of our fellow vikings, but we are also doing our part in helping to prevent wildlife from becoming sick or injured by ingesting our trash. Throughout the year, Green Team has truly pushed me to reach beyond my fears and personal boundaries, allowing me to reach out to more people. For example - before this year, I struggled with public speaking. Even if you were to put me in front of a small crowd, all I could think about was the possibility of me messing up in front of them all - and them then judging me because of it. However, now I can stand before a whole grade level and speak freely - my fear dwindling to a mere discomfort.
Green Team has taught me so much, more than even some of my actual classes have. The skills that I have learned will stay with me throughout my life, allowing me to continue to help others around me, and of course, our beautiful planet. While I cannot say that I have truly left my legacy quite yet - I know that Green Team most certainly has. And I know for a fact, that in the next two years - Green Team will help me leaf one of my own. |
My time in Green Team has been a great time, sometimes stressful, but nonetheless great. Over the past school year, the Green Team has impacted the school in ways not noticeable by the overlooking eye. We have cleaned up trash on our campus, we have cut down leaf litter so if a fire was to break out at the school, the trees cannot immediately catch fire. Green Team has helped out in our community in ways that are discussed about doing but I have never seen done except by the Green Team. This groups impact upon myself has been such a large one. This club has pushed me into situations I am uncomfortable with or have never experienced before; and in turn I have learned what I capable of and what I am not. I have become more social with others, even if I do not know the person too well or even if I like them. While in Green Team I would say I have not "leafed my own legacy" yet. I have had small footprints in everything we have done: making planter boxes in the courtyard, planting in the planter boxes, planting fruit trees, and the dodge ball tournament. That's just to name a few. With what I have learned in Green Team, I always continue to use through the rest of my life, until the die I am one with nature. I shall always use the 3 R's whenever I possibly can. I shall re-purpose items to be used as other items.
|
This year as an officer of White Oak High School’s Green Team I had a greater influence on the events we did. We increased our involvement around the school by doing a campus cleanup and adding a Wildfire Prevention Day event, where we cut the undergrowth along the edges of White Oak to prevent wildfires. As an individual, I have grown into a leader. My ability to speak publicly and lead has grown due to my leadership position in Green Team.
I “leafed” my legacy through the Pollinator Park, which was the first project I had worked on in Green Team. The Pollinator Park was created to help welcome pollinators, specifically bees, to the campus and through this project I learned how to plant flowers and create a garden. Green Team has helped me not only further my knowledge of the environment, but has helped me understand my role in it and how I can make an impact for the better. Next year I hope to encourage others to join Green Team, even by attending only a few meetings I think you can gain a lot of valuable knowledge. I hope to also expand the club’s involvement around the campus and community. As such a large club we have the potential to make an even greater difference and should do so. |
I feel that my time in Green Team as well as my position as Reporter has done good for the club and its members. With taking an abundance of photographs, advertising the Green Team's hard work, and creating t-shirt designs and logos, I feel that I have been able to add a little bit of my own 'flavor' to the function of the club. I feel like the role of the Reporter is particularly important in promoting morale, and I'm happy that I could be able to take up the opportunity to do that. In a team, I've been able to "leaf my legacy" through every cleanup, fundraiser, or project; as an individual though, I feel as though my legacy will be carried as memories through the photographs I've taken and shared, as well as the t-shirts I designed that were proudly worn by every member.
Being a part of the Green Team has sparked an interest in environment preservation that I'd definitely like to keep with me throughout college and further on. I am aware that my chosen university, NC State, has programs similar to White Oak High's Green Team, and I'd like to apply and hopefully become a member of those as well. |
My time in Green Team really started in the spring of 2016. I had a few friends that had shown interest and Dillman was in need of help, so I signed up. Once I got to the first meeting it was a ton of hands on work. We were building the small walls for our Pollinator Park, to house all of the plants that were going to be living there. I loved it. I was outside helping after school everyday that was needed, guiding others, stamping the wall, collecting and delivering dirt, and planting flowers and butterfly bushes with everyone else. It was hard work, but the end result was worth it. Our Pollinator Park was beautiful and still is. Since then, we have planted yellow Mums, and had a Mother's Day planting day. We brought our moms and they planted a perennial with us. We also have 2 bird feeder posts stationed out of the walls to prevent weeds from growing inside the flower beds. My dedication to the Pollinator Park had earned me a brand new officer position in Green Team, and I was announced as Curator. I took care of all of the plants. I watered them, pulled weeds (lots of weeds), helped re-mulch the beds and learned what kind of plants that were there. The Pollinator Park and my position among the officers are the biggest legacy I've 'leafed' for Green Team. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot in the process to start thinking in an environmentally friendly way during my time in Green Team. The only thing hard about Green Team, is leaving it. I am going off the college and my position is left in new hands. At UNCW I plan to join any environmental club they may have, or even try to start one. I also plan on taking environmental courses. The campus is very Eco-friendly already. They have recyclable cups and reusable dishes, along with this, they work with the land they have, and haven't cleared out all of the natural life that was there before. There are an abundance of trees and plants, and I want to be a part of preserving the natural beauty on campus, just like I was at White Oak.
|
EVENTS! |
On August 21st, 2016, The Green Team participated in a beach clean-up at Hammocks Beach State Park in Swansboro, NC to honor a fallen viking. United States Navy Seal, Chris Campbell was killed in battle defending our country. Chris was a graduate of White Oak High School. We did our best to make him proud by cleaning up one of his favorite places in North Carolina, Bear Island.
|
green_team_disney_trip_spring_break_2017.pdf | |
File Size: | 126 kb |
File Type: |
wohs_green_team_brick_fundraiser.pdf | |
File Size: | 401 kb |
File Type: |