If you ask a class full of second graders their favorite beach, you’ll get at least a dozen hands in the air before you stop speaking: Sullivan’s Island, Myrtle Beach, Sullivan’s Island again, and so on. The kids love the beach. But that’s not the only thing the 7-8 year olds have strong opinions about.
Tuesday morning in Angell Troxler’s second grade class at Mt. Pleasant Academy, the topic was the environment. An easel asked students to name “things in nature” that they are concerned about, with responses posted on sticky notes. Harper is thinking about “global warming.” “The air” is big on Brady’s list. (Ryan reciprocated with “The wind.”) Charlotte says “littering in the ocean” is a concern.
When Reneisha Holmes, an organizer with Conservation Voters of South Carolina (CVSC), stopped in a little later with a stack of blank postcards to extend the exercise, the kids didn’t need too much more guidance.
“I like to get them thinking globally, big picture,” says Troxler, a seventh-year teacher at Mt. Pleasant Academy who tries to coordinate outreach events often. The class has also sent letters to veterans and exchanged notes with pen pals in Germany.
With the kids’ messages doodled on the postcards, CVSC will mail them off to U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham (the kids are familiar with him, apparently) and U.S. Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham.
Want to set up your own postcard event with CVSC? Email KJ Kearney: kj@cvsc.org. (Full disclosure, KJ is a City Paper contributor.)
Here are a few of our favorites from Ms. Troxler’s students, headed to a congressional office near you soon…
Julia: Good colors, succinct message
Harper: Can’t argue much here
Anne: Since all cars in Mt. Pleasant are huge
Catie: Even second graders acknowledge climate change, even if they can’t spell quite yet
Sydney: Can Sydney run for president?
Charlotte: Better than a lot of the stuff we’ve seen for sale in trendy coffee shops, TBH
Christopher: “Climight” change? Is Christopher trolling? (Joking. Great job, Christopher.)
Note: These photos have been edited to remove students’ last names.
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