Five North Hills Middle School students have set out to reduce the school’s carbon footprint!

Eighth-graders Keelin McKiernan, Niamh Greer, Autum Mandell, Adelaide Seigworth and Ellie Kim were inspired by Greta Thunberg, a teenage Swedish environmental activist known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation.

The students watched Thunberg’s three-part documentary “A Year to Change the World” and admired that despite her young age, she was still able to be heard on a global forum.
 
They decided to start a movement of their own and together, created the “Lights Out” initiative, which requests all teachers to turn the light out during homeroom.
 
The students obtained copies of past monthly electric bills for the middle school from Kevin Swindell, the district’s director of facilities services, and began learning how to interpret the bills.

As a result of Lights Out, from now until the end of the school year, the girls hope to see a reduction in electric consumption as well as a reduction in cost, hence a greener middle school!

Awesome job!