The Bard High School Early College Green Team shows how much can happen when young people come together with curiosity and commitment. Help us support more community leaders like them by donating to our Trees Please Fall Fundraiser! Help us raise $23,000 by October 11 to help NYC residents and neighborhoods.
At Bard High School Early College in Long Island City, a group of students decided they wanted to make a difference. The school didn’t have recycling or composting programs, so their science teacher, Dr. Stephanie Kadison - known to her students as Dr. K - encouraged them to think about what they could do. Since Dr. K was already involved in community composting in her Astoria neighborhood, she inspired the students to bring those same ideas to Bard. When they learned that Big Reuse had a compost truck parked right near their school, everything started to fall into place. With Big Reuse’s support, the students launched a pilot composting program and managed to divert 464 pounds of food waste from their cafeteria. They also joined Big Reuse’s Street Tree Care team for tree care events, where they saw firsthand how caring for trees helps keep the city stronger and healthier. On top of that, the students set up a Share Table, a simple but powerful way to prevent food from going to waste by redistributing unopened items to classmates or the local food pantry.
For many of the students, the experience was eye opening.
John said, “The reason I was excited we were partnering with Big Reuse is that they allowed us to do so many things that normally we wouldn’t have the resources to do. They were able to take our compost and send someone with a truck to pick it up. Tree care is another example of something we couldn’t do without Big Reuse. Especially in Long Island City, there isn’t a lot of nature here. Partnering with Big Reuse, we had a bigger impact than we usually would.”
Michelle shared how the work changed her outlook: “It’s the first time for me to actively start cleaning up the street. I used to have the mindset that I really couldn’t do anything about trash and I didn’t think anyone was willing to care. Seeing Big Reuse send out people to volunteer was really admirable. If I can, I want to make this into a habit.”
Anisha agreed: “Working with Big Reuse, we actually got to see how it’s done. A lot of times we hear buzzwords when it comes to going green. When you see trash on the street, the majority of people just don’t care. It was really exciting to see Big Reuse, as a local organization, helping us by picking up our compost and doing it all for free. It was incredible to see how it happens.”
The Bard Early College High School Green Team’s work shows how students can turn climate worries into action. Their energy and commitment prove that even small steps add up to real change for New York City’s streets, trees, and neighborhoods.
Why Volunteer with Big Reuse?
The Green Team's voices make it clear that this work is not just about compost and trees, it is about hope, action, and community. Mae captured it best: “Everyone we’ve met through the organization is very kind and informative. I found it inspiring that people care for the city.”
These students remind us that when we work together, change is possible. By joining a volunteer event with Big Reuse, you not only learn new skills but also become part of a community that cares deeply about the future of New York City.
Want to Get Involved?
Support inspiring students and teachers like the Bard Green Team by donating to our Trees Please Fall Fundraiser → Donate Here
RSVP for upcoming Volunteering events → HERE
Blog Post written by NYSERDA Fellow Tatiana Guerra