After the bell for the first class period rang, the intercom beeped to indicate that the school announcements for that day were going to begin. Before the daily announcements, my classmates and I stood up and began the school prayer. Having attended a Catholic school throughout elementary school, middle school, and high school, every day began with school prayer and consisted of attendance in a daily theology class. From my very first day of elementary school to now, faith has played an integral role in my education. Throughout my years as a student, I was constantly reminded of the importance of faith and how it guided my education. Now, as a first-year student at the beginning of my undergraduate career, the values that were instilled in me throughout previous years serve as a guide for my future. Specifically, my experience in attending Catholic school throughout most of my life incorporated faith-related values into my experiences with education, including values such as courage and dedication. Following school announcements, a day full of education began. The value of courage was instilled in me throughout my Catholic education in various ways. The most influential way in which courage was instilled in me through faith-centered education was the encouragement to recognize the role that faith has in response to adversity. I was often reminded that in the face of adversity, faith allows for perseverance. The idea that faith and courage overlap was instilled in me and reminds me now that I am capable of pursuing my dreams, despite obstacles that may appear along the way. For example, when I am faced with a difficult assignment, exam, or problem, I remember that my faith-rooted courage fuels me with the strength I need to work through it, succeed, and learn from the experience. Furthermore, the value of dedication was similarly instilled in me. I was often reminded that my dedication to both my faith and education is critical in my life. When I am dedicated to my faith, I am also dedicated to the career path and education that are meant for me. For example, my high school always emphasized student involvement in service and leadership that helps those around us. As I have engaged in service and leadership to positively impact those around me, I have realized the significance of helping others as a part of my Catholic faith. Going forward in both my undergraduate education and future career, I hope to continue to hold the dedication to helping others in my life as a high priority. Attending a Catholic elementary school, middle school, and high school was an experience that was very important to my parents. My parents, not having pursued higher education themselves, knew that they wanted to make access to quality education a priority for my two brothers and I. As I am now in my undergraduate career, I want to further grow my faith in a new environment. I plan to continue to grow my faith as I gain the education and knowledge that I need to further strengthen the faith-rooted values of courage and dedication in my life. From the first bell to dismissal for the day, attending a Catholic school incorporated faith-related values not only into my life but also into my perception of education, which will continue to guide me in my day-to-day life.

For me, the process of combating climate change is comparable to planting a flower. Similar to the first step of planting a flower, the first step to combat climate change should be planting a seed of education. Climate change is a widespread issue, which calls for widespread action. To carry out the fight against climate change on a large scale, it is significant that information regarding climate change is accessible and integrated into our education system. After taking an environmental science course during the first semester of my undergraduate career, I realized the importance of having a baseline of environmental education. Specifically, I feel as though environmental education should be integrated throughout various academic stages, including middle school, high school, and college, ensuring that there is widespread knowledge to take widespread action. As more people are aware of climate change and its causes, not only can people be inspired to take action against it in their own lives, but it also builds support to take action on a larger political scale. Planting a seed of education and integrating a baseline of environmental education can establish the roots that hold the fight against climate change in place as it continues to grow. As environmental activism begins to sprout, a key part of maintaining that growth is taking action through everyday sustainable practices. In my own life, I strive to take action to combat climate change every day. Whether it’s an action as simple as using a reusable water bottle or composting my food scraps, I believe that no action against climate change is insignificant. For example, my family has always valued recycling, which may seem insignificant to some people. Although, as we have recycled for a long time, and I continue to do so in my day-to-day life, I believe that our dedication to recycling has had a significant environmental impact. Furthermore, I have recently begun to heavily value the environmental benefits of thrift stores. By either donating or shopping for items such as clothing at thrift stores, less clothing can end up in landfills, leaving a positive benefit on the environment. When the sprout of a flower is watered daily, it may seem small, but each daily contribution to its growth allows for it to eventually blossom, just like daily actions against climate change. Once a flower blooms, the actions to keep it alive shouldn’t stop. I believe that combating climate change is a continual process, and to allow it to remain active, we must continue to nourish the roots. In addition to believing that environmental education should be integrated into our society, another important part of my mission to fight climate change is making sure that both myself and the people in my life are staying informed and equipped to take action. Whether it’s through casual conversations with my friends and family, or my classmates and I sharing the findings of our environmental science projects, a significant part of maintaining strong roots in the fight against climate change is to stay continually informed on the current events surrounding it. As I continue to move forward in my undergraduate career, I hope to gain the ability to further contribute to the environmental action that is taken in the status quo. Right now, it is critical to plant the seed and continue to advocate, with the hope that collaborative efforts to combat climate change will allow it to bloom.