The average American sends about 4.4 lbs of garbage to the landfill every day.[1] Our society has normalized the use of single-use products and we continue to increase the amount of trash sent to landfills. However, not all trash reaches the landfills;[2] garbage is often littered onto the sides of roads and urban areas or
Having recently entered high school, I feel like I have some authority to talk about what I have heard, and what I have experienced so far. For context, I am currently in grade 10 in Calgary, Alberta taking the Full IB Diploma program. First of all, it’s awful. But somehow it’s also not? Although I
My entire life, I have felt young. I have always looked forward to getting older, growing up, getting out into the world, but only now, do those things, those experiences, seem real. Being a 15 year old girl, big opportunities are coming my way rapid fire all of a sudden. I am now getting ready
Distancing oneself from social media is very important at times. People are so often caught up in something online that it takes away from experiences in nature. During a trip in the summer of 2017, I learned that being present with others and with nature is a big part of one’s happiness. My dad,
Between extracurricular activities and managing school work, finding time to volunteer can be difficult. In many communities, small non-profit organizations exist in the crevices of buildings. In my community, Ben’s Bells is the small shop on the top of a hill, tucked away in the rear of a commercial complex. Ben’s Bells mission is to
Often times, when I am talking about my volunteer work, people state “Oh, I wish I could do that, but I’m too busy” or “That would be a great group to be apart of, but I don’t think I have time.” The definition of community service is: voluntary work intended to help people in a
Often, as I have been working on one project or another, my mind has drifted away, and distraction has made it hard to pay attention to the work and finish it by the specified time. Over the last few years, however, I have found a few different ways to help myself focus when I am
Each day at school I listen to my peers complain about having to go to their foreign language class. They insist that their chosen language is worthless and the class is extremely boring. Too often, once students at my school complete their requirements for foreign language credits, they quit for good. Little do they know,
