Undeterred by a sudden downpour, 255 students from Vida Charter School held their annual Earth Day march inside the school building on May 5, chanting “Save Our World” in both English and Spanish. Students carried bilingual signs reflecting the school’s dual-language mission.
Though the event was originally planned for outdoors, the weather did little to dampen the students’ enthusiasm. The Earth Day march has been a tradition at Vida for more than five years, highlighting the school’s environmental curriculum for kindergarten through sixth grade.
“All our classes participate, and each creates signs tied to what they are learning,” said Principal Elana Nashelsky. “In kindergarten through third grade, students learn about seeds and plant growth. By fourth grade, they study sustainability, and by sixth grade, they learn about pollution,” she said.
Fourth-grade teacher Lex Kierney, the event’s organizer, said the march helps students become active global citizens. “Our students are learning to stand up, speak out, and make change on climate issues. We teach them to reduce, reuse, and recycle,” Kierney said. She added that her fourth graders will soon explore Pennsylvania’s coal mining history, including child labor and the activism of Mother Jones, a prominent labor organizer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Vida Charter School is a public bilingual school offering instruction in English and Spanish. It draws students from 12 school districts, including all of Adams County and parts of York and Franklin counties. There is no cost to families. Bus or van transportation is provided for all VIDA students.
Pete Vogel, freelance reporter and photographer, is a writer and photographer in the Gettysburg Area.