Written by Victoria Pan from Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

On Tuesday, May 10, a very special event happened between two school campuses. Students from Bergen Community College’s Green Team marched from their campus in Paramus, New Jersey to my high school in Ridgewood, carrying signs and chanting slogans about ending pollution.  Once they arrived to Ridgewood High School, our Students for Environmental Action (SEA) club joined the Green Team in their efforts to raise their voices about climate change.  It was two schools, a few dozen students, and one goal—to motivate our generation to move forward toward a more sustainable future.

This march was part of an even bigger weeklong series of marches organized around the world in a movement called “iMatter.”  It was started by a teen my age, Alec Loorz, who wanted to encourage people of our generation to take a stand against fossil fuels.  It was really inspiring to see all the involvement happening around me, and I felt great to be a part of it.  We got to talk with the college students and exchange ideas about the projects we have been working on.  They also gave us a brief pep talk and encouraged us to continue our efforts.

Next year, I definitely hope to be more involved in the iMatter movement, or possibly even organize my own march.  I can’t wait to chant the words “Hey-hey, ho-ho, dirty coal has got to go!” again.  I really encourage all students to consider being a part of this truly inspiring movement.

If you would like to learn more about it, visit their website.