14 students attended the TreeAge Climate Action Day in Albany, on Wednesday, March 5th. The trip was organized by science teacher and Environmental Club supervisor Ms. O’Brien. Over 500 students from all five boroughs attended the event. The day started off with a speaker, followed by a rally at the Million Dollar Staircase. Afterwards, the student advocates spoke to government officials, and lobbied for the various environmental issues. The students learned more about the Solar for Schools Act, the fundraising campaign for climate justice, and governor Kathy Hochul’s push to backtrack progressive climate initiatives.

Yasmine Blackstock-Volcin, a junior, said that her favorite part of the trip was lobbying, as it gave her the opportunity to speak directly with lawmakers and advocate for important issues. She added that she felt empowered and reassured to see so many people agree that New York needs more green schools.

When asked about what motivated her to attend the trip, junior Maria Acosta said, “I was given the chance to voice my concerns and I took the chance, not only for me, but for my younger siblings and future generations.” While it was a long day for the attendees, all of them agreed that it was worth it for the chance to make a difference in the world.

Joss Huesca said, “We shouldn’t be deterred from speaking about the issues that impact our daily lives because our mayor and state officials work for us, the people.” The energy throughout the whole day was electrifying as students spoke out for what they believed in. This has only been TreeAge’s fourth year putting on this event, but it has grown tremendously over the years.

The Environmental Club hopes to have more students representing Curtis and igniting change next year. Who wouldn’t want to make a difference in their community?