There was once a school nestled in a grove of ancient and historic redwood trees. Students and animals would flock there to enjoy the leaves that secluded them from the burning glare of the summer sun. It was also a space where students could do their homework in the shade; listen to music and enjoy the peaceful environment; listen to the sound of the birds chirping, the sound of people’s heartbeats beating at a constant pace, a constant thump-thump-thump, the sound of the river flowing down to the mainland, and the sound of old pages turning.
School buildings surrounded this old redwood grove, built of wood from trees that had been growing for many decades before they were cut down years ago. Everybody who attended this school, whether they were a teacher or a student, had access to a crystal clear blue lagoon that was available for the community to swim in during the hot summers and was a valuable source of cool, drinkable water. The grove of redwood trees and the lagoon were sources of inspiration to the artists who burned with desire to embody nature through an artistic and creative lens. They would often head to the lagoon to find something beautiful to draw or film that could connect to students’ minds and souls.
It’s the year 2008, the moment when things began to change. A young girl skips down the road. Her face is full of happiness, the kind of happiness when somebody throws a surprise birthday party for you or when you swim a distance of 139.8 miles and break a world record. The happiness that you can never experience again, even though it might have come from doing something exhausting. The girl was proud of her achievements when she skipped down that road after she made first place in a spoken word competition in San Francisco, and she wanted to share that joy with her family, friends and neighbors.
Behind a building, a boy who is quite protective of the environment and a member of a local climate environment organization watches the girl bouncing down the street, feeling frustrated at her happiness when things are changing for the worse. The boy’s mind wanders, pondering the girl’s behavior, and he walks to the old redwood grove, thinking that something would change in the next couple of years and would negatively affect the current environment. Perhaps it was the current events that he was noticing each day that gave him the uncomfortable feeling.
The boy’s prediction in 2008 was indeed correct. Seventeen years flew by, and the society grew ever so slightly more conservative, increasing the usage of logging in order to construct more buildings and gain more profits. It’s the year 2025, and the world is beginning to see widespread extinction of animal populations. The school that was once vibrant with life — birds chirping and flying around, deer and rabbits frolicking in the grassy and colorful meadow that was full of small flowers, mountain lions roaming the dense mountains looking for something to eat — is almost gone.
The redwood grove, formerly seen as a peaceful area where everybody could relax and enjoy the serene view and environment, disappeared as the soil became harsher and drier than usual. And because of the drought and the burning heat of the sun that changed the environment in profound ways, the school that was once filled with laughter, joy, difficulties, sadness, and resilience has closed down due to environmental concerns. However, bravery and courage still live on, and both present and former students join together hand-in-hand to save the redwood grove and the school.
School buildings surrounded this old redwood grove, built of wood from trees that had been growing for many decades before they were cut down years ago. Everybody who attended this school, whether they were a teacher or a student, had access to a crystal clear blue lagoon that was available for the community to swim in during the hot summers and was a valuable source of cool, drinkable water. The grove of redwood trees and the lagoon were sources of inspiration to the artists who burned with desire to embody nature through an artistic and creative lens. They would often head to the lagoon to find something beautiful to draw or film that could connect to students’ minds and souls.
It’s the year 2008, the moment when things began to change. A young girl skips down the road. Her face is full of happiness, the kind of happiness when somebody throws a surprise birthday party for you or when you swim a distance of 139.8 miles and break a world record. The happiness that you can never experience again, even though it might have come from doing something exhausting. The girl was proud of her achievements when she skipped down that road after she made first place in a spoken word competition in San Francisco, and she wanted to share that joy with her family, friends and neighbors.
Behind a building, a boy who is quite protective of the environment and a member of a local climate environment organization watches the girl bouncing down the street, feeling frustrated at her happiness when things are changing for the worse. The boy’s mind wanders, pondering the girl’s behavior, and he walks to the old redwood grove, thinking that something would change in the next couple of years and would negatively affect the current environment. Perhaps it was the current events that he was noticing each day that gave him the uncomfortable feeling.
The boy’s prediction in 2008 was indeed correct. Seventeen years flew by, and the society grew ever so slightly more conservative, increasing the usage of logging in order to construct more buildings and gain more profits. It’s the year 2025, and the world is beginning to see widespread extinction of animal populations. The school that was once vibrant with life — birds chirping and flying around, deer and rabbits frolicking in the grassy and colorful meadow that was full of small flowers, mountain lions roaming the dense mountains looking for something to eat — is almost gone.
The redwood grove, formerly seen as a peaceful area where everybody could relax and enjoy the serene view and environment, disappeared as the soil became harsher and drier than usual. And because of the drought and the burning heat of the sun that changed the environment in profound ways, the school that was once filled with laughter, joy, difficulties, sadness, and resilience has closed down due to environmental concerns. However, bravery and courage still live on, and both present and former students join together hand-in-hand to save the redwood grove and the school.