Photo: Vergennes Union High School’s Green Team, now led by Quincy Sabick, collected 10,000 pounds of non-recyclable soft plastic to create this bench
The song “The Greatest Love of All” (written by Linda Creed and recorded and made famous by George Benson in 1977 and Whitney Houston in 1986) opens with the line, “I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.” In the environmental community, we think about this often. One of the goals through our work is to leave a world behind for the next generation that’s better than one we are currently living. The youth are the future, and they will be left to exist in the world we leave them. This is why, appropriately so, we have a reputation of uplifting youth voices in the conversation about climate and environment policies.
Two weeks ago, I met Quincy Sabick. She was one of nearly a dozen high school students who testified to the Climate Solutions Caucus, outlining the Youth Lobby’s policy priorities. Quincy, I learned, was an appointed youth member of the Vermont Climate Council, which was created with the passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2020 to establish a state climate plan.
On this week’s episode of the Democracy Dispatch Podcast, I interview Quincy, a junior at Vergennes Union High School (VUHS), about the importance of youth engagement in climate advocacy, her involvement in VUHS’s Green Team, and her aspirations for the future in public policy and environmental law. The conversation emphasizes the need for youth voices in climate activism and the impact of social media in mobilizing young people. Quincy also reacts to Governor Scott’s proposal to weaken the authority and structure of the Vermont Climate Council.
After meeting Quincy, I feel confident that as Linda Creed penned nearly 50 years ago, the youth can indeed lead the way.
As always, thanks for listening,
Justin Marsh, Political Director
Vermont Conservation Voters
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