The greenhouse area on the top floor of the Clark Center for Science & Mathematics was a place a student might go to study or relax among the plants. That space was converted into a classroom cooking kitchen and is used by many groups on campus. 

“That space is being used really well,” senior Evie Flowers said, “but I did love that space. It was calming and quiet, and I thought I’d take matters into my own hands.” 

To create a new plant-filled space for clear-headed thought, Evie worked with library personnel to create a green study room in the Katharine Brush Library as her Guided Environmental Research Project (GERP). Part of her hypothesis: “Adding greenery to a study space would have a positive impact on students by making the environment more inviting, reducing stress, and enhancing focus.”  

Guided Environmental Research Projects at Loomis are a year-long endeavor sponsored by the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies. The projects begin with an idea and a hypothesis that are developed and researched with a written report due by the end of the winter term, and the project is carried out in its entirety before the end of the spring term. Evie’s project and three other projects are in the works this year: senior Sally Hayes has worked to certify Loomis Chaffee as a Level I Arboretum; senior Grace Rodner has explored misconceptions about eating a vegan diet; and senior Jake Delcampe has studied the benefits of hydroponics environmentally, economically, and for mental and physical health. A story on the school being designated a Level I arboretum can be found here.

These four seniors “redefined what it means to be dedicated to science through their Guided Environmental Research Project,” said Jeff Dyreson, science teacher and associate director of the Alvord Center. “Despite the half-course structure, they exceeded all expectations, driven by an authentic curiosity that fueled every step of their journey. From crafting a thought-provoking essential question to designing a testable hypothesis, they embraced each challenge with passion and rigor. Their results not only answered their questions but demonstrated true scientific spirit and significance. Their work proves that when passion and perseverance meet, even the most ambitious inquiries can lead to groundbreaking discoveries.” 

Another impetus for Evie to create a green room for study was seeing various green spaces at colleges that she toured. She said she wanted to see if students would be drawn to such a room, and she wanted to educate others on the benefits of such a room.  

On the door to the study room is a sign, meant both to greet and inform students: “Welcome to the Green Space Study Room. Study in the calming green space while benefitting your mental health.”  Various scientific testaments to the benefits are cited on that sign, which has both Evie’s and Jake’s names on it. One of Jake’s three hanging hydroponic systems adorns a wall of the room, lit up to brighten anyone’s mood. “I feel like a moth when I see it; it’s bright but in a good way,” Evie said. “He’s done a great job taking care of it.” 

In a sure sign that Evie was on to something, many students use the room. 

The library staff liked the idea of a green study room when it was proposed, said Liz Cashman, the instruction and outreach librarian. “We of course were open to it, but the way it had turned out is so impressive,” she said. “The kids love it. And tours come through here and you hear people say, ‘What is this?’ It’s nice to have seen that effect, too.”   

Evie said she has heard some students refer to the study room as “the Jungle Room.” She regularly stops by the room to water the greenery, which includes many hanging plants and a small lemon tree starting to produce fruit. 

To raise awareness, Evie talked about the project at a senior class meeting and will be offering some succulents this spring — care card included — for students to take home.  

Jake set up three hydroponic systems for his project — two on the second floor of the library and one in the green study room.  

“I knew that I wanted to work on alternative growing methods for my GERP,” Jake said. “I have always had an interest in different ways we can feed a growing planet, and hydroponics is able to do that sustainably. So far, I have learned a lot about how hydroponic systems are more sustainable and more economical than traditional forms of agriculture. Although a high initial cost, they end up making money back in the long run while using less space, less water, less electricity, and less nutrients to produce more food in a shorter amount of time.” 

Before he left for spring break, Jake harvested nine gallons of greens, distributing them to many on campus. “The teachers I have heard from made salads for their families, and they said the greens tasted really fresh,” Jake wrote in his report at the end of the winter term.  

Jake said that on April 22 — Earth Day — he plans to engage the community in the Kratky method of hydroponics, a simple technique that allows one to grow hydroponically without electricity or pumps.   

Grace’s project came out of her passion for practicing a plant-based diet, and the classroom kitchen is coming in mighty handy for her. She is conducting cooking classes there.  

Grace sought to examine “resistance to and misconceptions” about vegan diets within the LC community. As a junior, Grace pursued a Gilchrist Environmental Fellowship that sought to inspire people to consider plant-based eating “by showcasing compelling documentaries through my website and campaign MovieOneMovieForThePlanet.org.” This time, she said, she wanted to better understand resistance to the idea.  

“Last year was more about spreading information, but I was still left with a question: ‘What are the misconceptions people have in the Loomis Chaffee community about plant-based diets?’ I felt if I could correct those misconceptions, I could more effectively spread awareness and shift thinking,”  she said. 

Grace surveyed students and found out some of the reasons for resistance: taste, convenience, nutrition. So Grace scheduled some vegan cooking classes — including making various cookies — utilizing the new classroom kitchen. She also plans to provide pamphlets with nutritional, economic, and environmental facts comparing vegan alternatives to animal-based foods. Grace also is looking into bringing to campus a nutritionist with experience in vegan cooking. 

“This is important to me because I think it is the single most effective action someone our age can take in order to benefit the environment and our own health,” Grace said. “As teenagers and minors, we don't have a lot to say about a lot of things, but the food we eat can be something we can control.” 

Grace adopted the vegan lifestyle gradually. When her sister Sophie ’21 watched The Game Changers in Jeff’s science class, her life changed, as did that of her mother and Grace. The 2018 documentary is about athletes who follow plant-based diets.  

“[Sophie] was really inspired by it,” Grace said last year. “She made our whole family watch the movie. And my mom and my sister were thinking, “What if we tried a vegan diet for a week?’ And then they never stopped. ... They said, ‘This is working, and I feel good.’”  

Grace said she “dabbled” in a plant-based diet, but once she watched the movie Cowspiracy, she became a vegetarian. That documentary is about the impact of animal agriculture on the environment. Then she watched Dominion, a documentary that focuses on slaughterhouses and macro farms, and she became a vegan in her freshman year. 

Grace said she noticed that when people talked about why they switched diets, they often cited watching a plant-based diet advocacy documentary. She thought that could be an effective way to spread awareness. Thus began her campaign that challenged people to watch a documentary and the development of her website, www.OneMovieForThePlanet.org.  

Sally’s GERP — seeking an answer to the question, “Could Loomis become certified as an arboretum?” — came out of her love for the outside world. On Friday, March 7, the official word came: Congratulations to the Loomis Chaffee Arboretum on your successful accreditation for Level I through the ArbNet Accreditation program.    

Loomis Chaffee is located on more than 300 acres, but the 32 trees listed for accreditation can largely be found along what is called “the Loop,” an easy walking path around campus. Sally has mapped the trees using ArcGIS, software that views, edits, manages and analyzes geographic data. The trees range from a Magnolia Cordata and a Weeping Katsura to the more familiar Red Maple and Blue Spruce. The list includes two on the Connecticut Notable Trees list: a Pecan Tree and an American Holly.  

Sally is planning a display in the Scanlan Campus Center that will promote the arboretum certification and include an exhibit of some trees that are no longer on campus but are significant to the school’s history. Sally is organizing an event during Community Time on Friday, April 25, to plant tree seedlings and celebrate Arbor Day, and she is working with the Strategic Communications & Marketing Office on creating an online presence for the arboretum.