Avery Wallace, a junior at Carrollwood Day School, is leading an inspiring initiative to transform our campus into a beacon of environmental sustainability. What began as an eighth grade community project, a requirement for the IB Middle Years Programme, has evolved into Avery’s passionate mission to create a more eco-conscious CDS environment. Through extensive research and proactive implementation, she is taking remarkable steps to ensure that students, faculty, staff, and families at CDS play an active role in positively impacting our planet.
Avery’s journey began in 2021 when, as an 8th grader, she observed patterns of waste across campus. She noticed unnecessary classroom printouts, litter in common spaces, and excessive food waste in the cafeteria. Determined to make a difference, she chose waste reduction as the focus of her community service project. After discussing the idea with her mother, she was encouraged to think even bigger. Over the course of her eighth grade year, Avery worked tirelessly, researching ways to improve Carrollwood Day School’s overall sustainability.
Avery rallied support from mentors and peers, organized a strategy, and by the end of the year, presented her proposal to Head of School Sara Rubinstein and the CDS Board of Trustees. The initiative was met with approval, and Avery was granted permission to move forward.
At the start of her freshman year, Avery presented her sustainability plan to the CDS Administrative Team. Despite initial nerves, her presentation was a success. The plan, centered around five key principles—Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation, Air Quality, Waste Reduction, and Education—was enthusiastically received, paving the way for the official launch of the CDS “GoingGreen” initiative.
Avery’s work gained momentum during her sophomore year, as she established the "GoingGreen Team," a group of dedicated peers tackling sustainability issues on campus. One of their first major goals was addressing the recycling problem by educating students on proper recycling practices, an effort Avery continues to lead today.
With interest rapidly growing in her program, Avery expanded her administrative team, gaining the support of Ernie Durino, FLIK’s Dining Services Manager, Vinny Monty, Director of Facilities, and Carl Storck, Transportation Manager. With their guidance, Avery was able to make important strides in sustainability, including a successful fundraising campaign to install a new sorting recycling/trash bin in the cafeteria, one of the most frequented areas on campus. Her goal was to encourage students to pause and think about their waste disposal choices.
As Avery ended her sophomore year, she was able to begin a composting program in partnership with Vista Gardens, one of the largest composting systems in the county. With the help of student volunteers and Avery’s team of administrators, CDS now collects compostable waste from FLIK’s kitchen and transports it to Vista Gardens several times a week to be composted. Then a group of student volunteers turns compost at the garden once a week.
Through initiatives like increasing recycling efforts, collaborating with CDS clubs and athletic teams, and partnering with FLIK for sustainable waste management, Avery and her team are making tremendous strides toward a greener campus.
As she embarks on her junior year, Avery is getting closer to reaching her next goals of securing the prestigious Florida Green School Designation, and addressing water and energy conservation on campus. By building the foundation of the GoingGreen initiative at CDS, there is no doubt that Avery will leave a legacy when she graduates that will continue to further CDS as a leader in sustainabilIty. Her efforts remind us that meaningful change starts with small, purposeful steps. With initiative like hers, the Patriot Nation is certain Avery will change the world.
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