Grade 7 Scientists Tackle Climate Change and Lift Hopes at Annual Sustainability Night

Diya Shah ’31 and August Acampora ’31 welcomed parents, caregivers, and professional community members in the Allen Building before they dispersed to their locations in several buildings. “After returning from winter break, each student chose a climate issue that we felt passionate about in a location in the world where that issue is occurring,” said Shah. Acampora urged guests to use their provided maps to travel “around the world,” moving through the Allen Building and the Yurt (North America), Haynes Hall (Europe, South America, and Antarctica), and the Prince Building (Asia and Australia).

With original posters, student-made websites, and intricate models on hand, the student scientists made a case for action on a variety of contemporary issues. Many students utilized “chain reaction” logic to explain how global causes manifest in local catastrophes.

One student mapped the trajectory from the burning of fossil fuels in Hilo Bay, Hawaii, to the warming of oceans and melting of glaciers. This shift, they demonstrated, leads to the deconstruction of coastal infrastructure and the degradation of coral reefs. The proposed solution was a pragmatic five-point plan: connecting with the local community, designing a sturdy wall, obtaining environmental approvals, building the seawall, and providing long-term maintenance.

A “ripple effect” was explored in the example of curtailing rising sea levels in Sag Harbor, NY, before, during, and after storms. A student used hand-bleached clay models to illustrate their solution—the implementation of man-made coral colonies—which offered a tangible way to restore storm-surge protection and marine biodiversity.

The presentations across the “continents” showed a remarkable range of creative problem-solving. For example, in the United States alone, students identified a number of pressing issues and original solutions:
 

The research extended into some of the most remote and fragile ecosystems on Earth. Students analyzed the displacement of Indigenous people in the Amazon Rainforest and the loss of species due to deforestation. Their solution utilized modern technology, proposing the use of drones to monitor canopy health and prevent illegal clearing.

Even the deep sea was represented. One project focused on the Mariana Trench, where deep-sea warming is disrupting the cellular functions of the Mariana snailfish due to a lack of oxygen. The proposed intervention—using steel pumps and hydrothermal vents—showed the level of outside-the-box thinking that defined the night.

The rapid-fire presentations required students to pivot constantly, explaining their research to a rotating audience of adults over 90 minutes. Grade 7 science teacher Kayley Pettoruto noted that this fast-paced presentation style is a core goal of the unit, helping students build confidence and the ability to think on their feet. She added, “They approach the climate crisis not with apathy, but with imagination and resolve. I am continually inspired by the boldness of their ideas.”

Sustainability Night is the culmination of nine weeks of research, and through the event, these Grade 7 students demonstrated a shift from awareness to agency in discussing the climate crisis. By exploring issues from ocean warming in the Maldives to habitat loss in the Amazon, students moved past the daunting nature of climate change to find scientific possibilities.

“Our seventh graders remind us that hope is something you build through two of our core values: curiosity and empathy,” said Head of Middle School John Bower P’31. They’re not just learning about the world; they’re learning that they have the agency to improve it.”