SNHS: Renew!

Raider Renew! Community Service Initiative

As Co-President of my School's Science National Honor Society, I lead Renew!, a student-driven initiative focused on sustainability and environmental restoration. I've partnered my club with local environmental preservation organizations such as the Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program , ReForestATL, and the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream. Here, we've helped with habitat restoration days, invasive species removal, and water testing/monitoring in our local forests and streams. I recently got certified for the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program, meaning that I am able to monitor chemical parameters in my local waterways, and report them to the state database that monitors the health of local waterways in Georgia. I hope to further this initiative, aiming to inspire long-term environmental stewardship beyond my high school.

During our first day with the Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program and ReForest ATL, we explored the local Alpharetta forest ecosystem, learning to identify native and invasive species. Working in specialized groups, we targeted invasive species like Chinese privet and Shiso, removing large sections to support the restoration of native forest growth. I had a great time talking to Ms. Kate Carson the founder of ReForest ATL. She gave me a lot of valuable insights into her own environmental sustainability work and future directions. Our crew had a great time piling up mounds of invasive species, and I'm glad this day was able to put some smiles on peoples faces.

9/13 Habitat Restoration Day @Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program & ReForest ATL

10/11 Habitat Restoration Day @Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program & ReForest ATL

On our second day with the Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program and ReForest ATL, we built on what we learned earlier by continuing our restoration efforts throughout the forest. We revisited key areas to identify remaining invasive plants and focused on clearing Chinese privet, Shiso, and other species crowding out native growth. Our collective work helped expand the restored zones and further promote the health of the Alpharetta forest ecosystem. It got slightly colder from the last time, but it was still a fun time!

12/13 Water Monitoring Day @Georgia-Adopt-A-Stream Program

This year marked our first partnership with the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Program, and it's quickly become one of our most impactful outreach experiences. It began with a meeting with Ms. Terry Porter, the Environmental Program Coordinator for the City of Alpharetta, where I learned about local watersheds and how much of Alpharetta’s stream water is untreated, often carrying bacteria and chemical runoff. After a few hours of learning about the program and procedures, I was able to get certified to monitor and record data in our local waterways.

I brought the idea back to the club, and we organized a water monitoring day led at a local park with Ms. Porter. Members learned how stream health is evaluated by measuring key water quality parameters such as pH, conductivity, temperature, and were introduced to the Winkler titration method for determining dissolved oxygen. She also explained how members can become Georgia Adopt-A-Stream certified, allowing us to continue collecting meaningful environmental data.