South Side High School joins the climate strike

Young people worldwide rallied against climate change — and for their futures — on Sept. 20, and Rockville Centre teens were no exception.

South Side High School students staged a walkout about 10 minutes before classes ended Friday afternoon, holding signs to show solidarity for millions of others fighting for climate change legislation. A poll of seniors in the high school revealed that combating climate change is a top priority among most students in the class of 2020, according to the Rockville Centre School District.

“The idea of global warming is honestly terrifying to me,” said Maggie McGrath, a senior at South Side, who helped organize the walkout. “The past generation had the opportunity to raise their children and make a life for themselves but in the wake, they’ve left a lot of problems. Most of the plastic ever invented hasn’t even begun to break down. I won’t be able to make a life for myself the way they were able to.”

McGrath and dozens of other students from various clubs on campus orchestrated the daylong event, which culminated in the walkout. Throughout the day, students hung posters with information on climate change and sat at a table in the hallway to educate students on the issue. In addition, the school bells, which signal the start and end of each class period, were replaced with songs that showcased hope, social change and loving the earth.

The event coincided with climate strikes happening around the globe, including New York City, and the “Fridays for the Future” movement, which 15-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg started in August 2018 when she began sitting outside Swedish parliament every school day to demand action on climate change.

McGrath noted that many South Side students could not make it to the climate strike in Manhattan. Therefore, it was important for the school to recognize the movement and educate students about climate science that day.

“[Greta] sparked a whole movement for students all over the world,” McGrath said. “It’s important that there is climate legislation, and this draws attention to it so kids do have a future.”