. . . at Sant Bani !

Where on Earth do two hundred people ages five through sixty five suspend everyday doings to consider the grand picture and to act to make that grand picture a little more hopeful? On April 22, 2010, the students and staff at Sant Bani celebrated the Earth and its interconnections with a full day of workshops and community cleanup projects throughout Sanbornton. The staff-led Earth Day Committee arranged speakers, set up thirty workshops and designed a day that both celebrated the beauty of our planet and posed questions about issues facing future generations.

The first speaker of the day was Steve Whitman who discussed Permaculture. He is a faculty member at Plymouth State University and has worked in state and regional planning for over fifteen years. He talked about designing human settlements and agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies. Students participated in a lively question and answer session after the presentation. Then they moved into their preregistered workshops.

Each student could choose two morning workshops. Some were outside on campus, others in the classroom; some were field trips to sites in Sanbornton or neighboring towns. Students could work to clear the cross-country trails which wind through the woods behind the school or they could travel to Swain Farm to inspect the portable solar generated waterer for the cows at the pond. Some went as far as Canterbury where they had a hands-on tour of the McCullough-Meeh sustainable family farm. They learned how the parents of two Sant Bani graduates harness a range of renewable energy sources including windpower, solar electric, biodiesel, and firewood.

Other students made recycled sculptures or walked through the woods to the beaver pond. Meanwhile in the classroom Jyoti Demian discussed Ralph Waldo Emerson’s views on nature with high school students. Lesley College intern Travis Filter led a gardening workshop where students prepped a new garden area and planted kale and lettuce. A group of “renegade students” led by Jen Schongalla chucked artistically wrought seed bombs in random barren places. A group of four students joined Susan Dyment at the little traffic island at the intersection of Prescott and New Hampton Road where they worked the soil, added compost and planted pansies—under the watchful eye of Sanbornton Police Chief Hankard who directed traffic while they worked. Walks to vernal pools, nature drawing, solar cookers, seed mosaics, decorating pots, fairy houses, tree identification, watercolor landscapes, scavenger hunts, an “un-cooking class” where they talked about the health benefits of eating raw foods and calculate how many grams of selected foods it takes to make 100 calories, were among the offerings.

Senior Jacquie Bartz led a workshop on Earth Watch, a non-profit organization where those concerned about the Earth’s future can get involved. Volunteers all over the world do hands-on field research to learn more and educate others on environmental concerns. Jacquie traveled to Iowa last summer to study the Mississippi River and its unique environment. During the same block Chief John Desilva of the Sanbornton Fire Department talked to students about forest fire prevention. He brought some of the equipment used by the firemen and talked about what we can do to help.

After an outdoor lunch time teachers and students then fanned out in teams to cover 26 miles of Sanbornton roads for a massive clean up effort. Reflecting at the end of this busy and beautiful day, everyone felt a little more hopeful that a small school could consider the big world and have an impact . . . one thoughtful action at a time.