Newsletter Spring/Summer 2022

30 SPRING/SUMMER 2022SPRING/SUMMER 2022 31

Climinds: Climate Education for a Greener Future

Though it took some time for the Climinds team (Linda Maalouf, Christian Tawil, and Jad Abou Ali) to narrow its scope and scale, rooting the project in environment, climate change, and education was a given from the onset.

The three all have a deep appreciation for nature but were keenly aware of how poorly Lebanon’s natural ecosystems are often treated. “Growing up, whenever we went to the sea, or on hikes, all we would see is plastic … When we had the opportunity to design our own projects, I didn’t think of anything other than the environment - I felt like I had to do something,” Linda relays.

The young activists didn’t want to simply organize a beach or trail cleanup, however. “The beach would just get ruined again,” Linda explains. “If people aren’t educated on climate change and the importance of taking care of our environment, it won’t make a difference in the long run. We need to educate

people when they are young.”

The project, which they began developing at the start of grade 11, began as a series of webinars for the IC community with local climate activists, experts and scientists, like Dr. Najat Saliba, Professor of Analytical Chemistry and an atmospheric chemist at the American University of Beirut. It was a great opportunity for the Climinds teams to learn alongside other students; however, the project felt too broad. “We didn’t really have a concrete goal. We decided we wanted to focus more on interactive learning, not interviews, so we designed a lesson plan on climate change that teachers could easily implement in their classes.” Christian states.

With the help of (incoming) Middle School Director, Ms. Nawal Haddad and Technology Integration Coordinator, Ms. Maya Chebaro, the team created several plans that could be adapted into science, homeroom, and math units. They did a “test-run” with 200 IC middle school students, through a 2-hour virtual session - including their lessons and related activities.

In Grade 12, they started to think about expanding their project beyond IC. Rather than simply circulating the lesson plan, they wanted to work more closely with another school to help them implement the unit and introduce environmental activism to students in a fun and engaging way.

They ultimately decided to partner with Ajyal School in Bchamoun, Jad’s hometown. The school is underfunded and, due to forest fires impacting the area, and there is no greenery on campus. “Especially because we are in a village, it’s really important to have a green space. I’m very proud to be doing something in my own community - it feels more impactful than implementing the project in a different city in Lebanon or abroad,” Jad reflects.

sell “green kits,” symbolic of regrowth and regeneration - something to plant in light of the deforestation. And what better plant than Lebanon’s beloved olive tree? “They are our heritage,” Christian relays. “It is not only about planting trees, but reinforcing our heritage as well.”

Working with small, local family businesses, they assembled 50 kits - each filled with a small tree, dirt, a ceramic pot, and paint to decorate. Popping up at various markets and events around the city, the team has sold 34 kits thus far. They have raised $500 - a combination of kits sold and additional donations.

When they initially visited Ajyal School, the team noticed that students did not really have an area to hang out, sit, or play during break. “When the bell rang for recess, the students just stayed on the staircase because they didn’t really have anywhere to go sit outside,” Linda recalls. To address this, the Climinds team purchased three recycled plastic benches from Lebanon’s zero-waste czar, Mr. Ziad Abi Chaker, and environmentally friendly paint. Working with the students from grades 6, 7, and 8, they transformed the school’s play area from a dull concrete slab, to a colorful, welcoming space.

The playground renovation, however, was just a small part of the projectbased

environmental education program that the team brought to Ajyal. The team held multiple sessions with grade 6 and 7 students to teach them about the environment, which included activities like planting trees and playground renovation. These workshops were hugely successful. “At the beginning and end, we had them fill in a short questionnaire about what they knew about climate change. Before, they really didn’t know anything, but now they really get it!” Linda exclaims.

They also worked with grade 8 students to start an Environment Club

which all students enthusiastically joined.

“We went to the grade 8 classroom and talked about the environment club, what a club is, how you structure it, and gave them a booklet of preplanned activities. We explained that the club is not at all mandatory, but they all wanted to join!” Christian states.

The secret to their success? Jad reflects, “Rather than lecturing students about climate change, we went there, they painted their playground with eco-friendly paint, recycled with us, and explained how the recycled benches were made. When they actually see the process and its impact, young students are more engaged and encouraged.”

Ultimately, the team hopes to scale the project, sharing their lesson plan and activities with more schools across the country. Luckily, they are leaving behind a team of younger AGC scholars, as well as IC’s own environmental club, which is excited to continue what this inaugural team has begun.

To raise money for their project, the students got creative. They decided to