By Elaine Kotler, St. Paul’s School in Kensington, CT

Saint Paul School of Kensington celebrated Earth Day. Members of the Saint Paul School Environmental Club staged and performed an original Earth Day Play, written by Miss Elaine Kotler, an advisor to the club and the school’s middle school science teacher. The play was titled “Little Green Riding Hoodie.”

“Little Green Riding Hoodie” is an educational and humorous story about a young girl who loves the Earth and strives to protect the environment. When Little Green Riding Hoodie sees the Big Bad Wolf destroying the Franciscan Friars Forest, she decides to inform the Big Bad Wolf about pollution and recycling. She teaches him how he, too, can be a steward of God’s creation, the Earth. And, how to make everyday Earth Day! With the help of Little Green Riding Hoodie and many other creatures living in the forest, along with Mother Nature and Saint Francis, the Big Bad Wolf sees the errors of his ways and begins to protect his home. He eventually learns and employs the 5 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink and Respect.

Saint Paul School is a Pre-K through 8th grade school. The Environmental Club has members ranging from students in kindergarten to 7th grade. The cast of Little Green Riding Hoodie was very eclectic. In addition to Little Green Riding Hoodie, played by 5th grader Sarah Loitz and the Big Bad Wolf played by 7th grader Jacob Palmieri, the characters included the Three Little Piggies. The First Piggy’s house was made of recycled paper, the Second Piggy’s house was made of recycled plastic and the Third Piggy’s house was made of recycled aluminum cans and juice pouches. The Big Bad Wolf also encounters Winnie the Pooh, Yogi Bear and some bumble bees, and three turtles that are trying to survive in the stream being polluted by the Big Bad Wolf. He also learns lessons about protecting the environment from Mother Nature and her sons Heat Miser and Snow Miser, and Saint Francis, the Patron Saint of Ecology. Saint Francis read his Canticle of Creatures and cast members appeared as the creatures as their names were read.

The set of Little Green Riding Hoodie was made completely by the cast and crew, all members of the Saint Paul School Environmental Club. The set was 100 percent constructed out of recycled and recyclable materials.

Materials found around homes and around school were used, and no money was spent on the set or costumes. After the play ended the materials were broken down and recycled properly.

Bottles and cans used to make the Piggy’s Houses were taken to a redemption center and earned the club $18.25.

Saint Paul school collects many items for recycling, including electronics, batteries, ink cartridges, glue bottles and glue sticks, paper and card board, aluminum cans, plastic bottles and juice pouches. Some items are redeemed at redemptions centers while others are sent to recycling centers for proper recycling.