Fires, tsunamis, and volcanoes, oh my! With the rise of environmental problems, modern solutions are being created. The Bolles Delegates are an innovative group of students whose mission statement is “going greener at Bolles.” Mrs. Kervin, Gracie Arnett ’24, and Eliana Emery ’22, along with Bolles students from ninth to twelfth grade, work to make Bolles overall greener.

The club started on the premise that “Unless America can get on board, then the rest of the world can try all of these things, but can’t do it (combat climate change).” Kervin thought that the best way to get America involved would be to start small and get Bolles involved.

Kervin spoke to her friend Lousie Hunter, CEO of SummerHouse Media, who helped set up COP-26, a group that meets every four years. It’s an organization in which world leaders come together and discuss how we can bring down carbon emissions. Kervin figured out a way to involve Bolles, and with this, the club was formed.

Recently the Delegates have been striving to bring down Bolles’ carbon emissions by raising money to buy electric buses. They did this by organizing a thrift sale. Mrs. Kervin, club head, stated, “(delegates) try and make it fun and funky and get everybody involved and make everybody think in a small way about where they spend their money, and what is happening and where the clothes are coming from.”

The thrift sale was so successful they made over $500 in under an hour. Everyone came out to support, including Dean Denmark, who created an outfit that sold within minutes. Kervin commented, “And that money, then we’ve decided is going towards eliminating the emissions that a traditional gas-guzzling bus gives with an electric bus.”
Other than the thrift sales, there are many ways Bolles Students are many ways Bolles students can get involved and make a difference. Mrs. Kervin and the Bolles Delegates have followed in the footsteps of Greta Thunberg by having every Friday be a designated day of service. Friday is when all students can make a small change to help the environment. From only using cold water in the washer to turning the light off in an unoccupied room, students are making promises to benefit the environment, and everyone can come out to the next thrift sale after spring break.

When discussing how everyone can help, Kervin states, “And so I think if we can just make small steps, then eventually going to become big steps.”