Elle is from Florida, and currently in grade 11. This is her 2nd year at Green School.
V: What is your favourite thing about the Green School?
E: The people because relationships are a lot more personal. The high school is a lot smaller and people are very welcoming.
V: What do you like to do in your spare time here?
E: Surfing in Chengdu and Serangan.
V: What are the top 3 things that you think the Green School does really well?
E: 1) Class choices. There are so many different ones that you can take.
2) Morals and ethics is a big part. Building your character to go out to the real world. Professionalism… being able to talk to the adults.
3) Sustainable buildings because concrete isn’t sustainable at all. Food is all locally source. Imprinting into our minds to be sustainable, and spreading the message so that we can show other people…and how to be a better person.
V: What are your top 2 favourite class projects that you have done here?
E: Plant Pornography – we took macro and micro photos of plants like cross sections..then we drew and labeled them. We created a beautiful catalogue in the end. We also did an extracurricular project where we made and designed our own surf boards. They were made out of bamboo. We had an expert come and show us how to make the boards.
V: Can you see the Green School in Florida?
E: Yes, but it would be more expensive, we would have to source bamboo., etc. I think the international part of the Green School is what makes it so special. Green School will also be very connected to where ever it will be created. Connected to the culture there. We have a tight knit community. People are open and nice and accepting here…cannot recreate exactly the same thing. Bali is half of Green School.
V: What would you like to see differently or improved?
E: I would like a set in stone physical education program. Students have a lot of choice here. You have required credits but they are not all year long.
V: What makes education sustainable?
E: You cover so many subjects. A lot of students have no idea what they want to do after high school. There are so many crazy classes here, calculus algebra, advanced English, jewelry making, personal economics, professional business class. For example, I took an Intro to Business class. We talked about everything about a pig and business…where all the different parts go, how they are slaughtered…it was really interesting.
V: Is there anything else you would like to share about the Green School?
E: I have so many options opened up, so many opportunities, I just need to decide which one I want to take! I definitely know what I don’t want to do. Green School makes us more open to new things and opens us up to so many opportunities and makes you think “if you don’t try it, you’ll never know!”