Seven students from Wellington’s Green Club recently attended the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s Teen Eco Summit, an exciting event designed to bring together more than 300 students from across the region to engage with experts on conservation and sustainability. The summit, part of the zoo's ongoing commitment to environmental education, encourages participants to develop Conservation Action Plans for their schools and communities, which they will continue to work on throughout the year. These plans will be shared in the spring, allowing students to collaborate and exchange ideas on how to foster change in their local areas.
For Wellington students like River Kaser ’27, the motivation to attend was clear: "I was motivated to join the Eco Summit to gain knowledge of how our school can improve. I hoped to gain ideas on how our school can add and improve upon the systems we already are implementing." The Summit offered an invaluable opportunity to learn from experts and peers about practical ways to address environmental challenges.
Cameron Petitt ’25 highlighted the importance of community action: “The Summit helped me understand the importance of working as an informed community when creating a more sustainable environment.” By fostering collaboration among students from different schools, the event exemplified the power of diverse perspectives in crafting meaningful, effective solutions for sustainability.
Wellington's students were inspired to apply these lessons to their own community. Jeanie DeSantis ’26 sees composting and waste mindfulness as key areas for improvement. “I believe we can make a difference in surrounding schools by providing information and encouraging other schools to be more mindful of where their waste is going,” said DeSantis.
This year’s Summit was just one of many efforts the zoo has made to promote environmental stewardship, supporting both local and global conservation efforts. As participants continue to work on their action plans, Wellington’s Green Club students will undoubtedly contribute to a more sustainable future — both at school and in the broader community.
We’re proud of the commitment these students have shown to environmental change and excited to see the impact of their work moving forward!