Dodge Ball, Garden Work Party, Trip to Nuclear Facility — All Part of the Environmental Club

Iris Parker Pavitt in Aspen's Garden at the Orcas High School

Updated March 8 at 7 a.m.

The energy of youth continues to work to make the world a better place. One quiet but constant example is Iris Parker Pavitt.

Iris, an Orcas High School junior,  is the President of the Orcas High School Environmental Club.

Since taking over leadership of the Club, which meets Mondays after school and consists of about a dozen members, the club is at the forefront of recycling reminders, especially to the school population. It is also, like most clubs, heavily involved in fundraising. This year, its goal is to help finance a trip the club will be making to the Hanford Nuclear Facility.

With snow forecast this week, one Environmental Club fund-raiser may pay out soon —  forecasting the date on which it snows in Eastsound. This contest is a collaboration with Chimayo Restaurant; contestants pay a $2 entry fee to pick a day on which it snows. That date is then marked on the calendar at the restaurant. The closest date wins lunch for two at Chimayo.  The contest will run through next winter, and Iris points out that the closest date wins, so a winner is guaranteed.

The Club also is making a video for entry into “America’s Greenest Schools.” The video shows club members planting trees in front of the elementary school last fll, Interviews with school bus drivers, and school administrators, discussing the possibility of a roof garden at school, and the expansion of the gardens and greenhouse, will also be included in the video. The winner of the national contest will receive a hybrid school bus, a “Green School Makeover” (valued at $20,000) and $500 for school supplies.

In addition to her duties as President of the Environmental Club, Iris works at the Public Library for school credit – which is “dangerous,” the book lover says, because she checks out at least three books every day she works. Iris has also participated in the Farm Education and Sustainability for Teens (FEAST) program, interned at the Historical Museum, and serves as editor for the High School Key Club, a service organization under the auspices of the Kiwanis Club. She also serves on the Farm-to-Cafeteria Board.

This week, the Environmental Club plans two community-wide events. The first is another Dodge Ball Tournament on Friday, March 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the High School Gym. For $2 entry team, anyone can join a team to plan in the tournament.  A “St. Patrick’s Day” theme will be part of the event. Several Dodge Ball Tournaments have been held this year, and this may be the last, Iris says.

The next day, Saturday, March 13,  all are invited to help with a garden work party of “Aspen’s Garden” in front of the High School. The clean-up will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The garden was installed in memory of Aspen O’Donnell, an 18-year-old Orcas High School student who passed away due to illness in 1997.

Last year, Juliana Bates planted a herb garden and repaired the fence and gate at Aspen’s Garden as part of her Senior Project. The Environmental Club will purchase plants from the Farm-to-Cafeteria plant sale for the work party. Snacks will be provided.

Club Advisor Gregory Books, High School science teacher, is trying to work around a regulation for the Hanford Site Tour, which the club hopes to visit in early June: tour visitors must be 18 years old or above.

If that doesn’t happen, Iris says the Club may go camping at a State Park. “Whatever we do, it will be fun,” she says.