During the last Community Weekend of the year, the annual flea market, a student-led initiative, was a resounding success. The event was primarily organized by the Environmental Co-heads with assistance from Chris Labosier and the Student Life Office. The flea market was strategically timed to coincide with the Community Weekend, Earth Day, and spring cleaning for the boarding community. The primary goals of the flea market were to reduce waste and raise funds sustainably for the school. The money will be added to the “petty cash” for the Environmental Co-heads, a fund that was initiated by former science teacher Gretchen Roorbach’s recycling of cans. Surprisingly, there are no restrictions on spending the money, providing flexibility for future environmental initiatives.
The flea market saw a significant turnout around noon, with many people attending with their friends. Some attendees even returned after their initial visit. Despite some hiccups, such as underestimating the amount of clothing donations and some inefficiencies in terms of time management, the event was largely successful, engaging students and bringing the community together. One notable incident involved the accidental sales of a personal item and the boarding house exchange boxes, where Yehjin Hwang ’24 lost her Class Ring amid the mixup. However, all items were eventually returned, and Yehjin’s Class Ring was returned to its rightful owner.
This year saw some changes in the Earth Day programming with shifts in faculty leadership, particularly the departure of Roorbach and the arrival of Labosier. This resulted in the preparation for the flea market starting significantly later than planned. Additionally, the Environmental Co-heads detected a general lack of interest from the community surrounding Earth Day programming, though they are optimistic about improvements for next year. In fact, for next year’s flea market, the Environmental Co-heads are considering hosting the event in the Ransome Room or potentially opening the event to the whole town of Concord to participate. If the weather permits, they may even host the flea market outdoors.
For Earth Day programming overall, plans for next year include sustainability workshops modeled after CA’s past celebrations of MLK Day, collaborations with the Middlesex School and the town of Concord, as well as more engagement with the local ecosystem. Potential activities include a river cleanup and field trips to locations with ties to CA, such as hydrogen power facilities. With these plans in place, the Environmental Co-heads are hopeful for more visibility and community engagement in the coming year.