Annual Report 2017-2018

OUR BRIGHT FUTURE place

“Since my time in the Pods, I have had a passion to make Wildwood a greener place.” — ZACH MARKS ‘18

For the past two years, Wildwood seniors have dug deep into the issue of sustainability at our school. Their first accomplishment was researching and creating the Wildwood Sustainability Plan in 2017. This year, the Environmental Change and Policy Senior Seminar moved those ideas into action, which can be seen on both the elementary and middle and upper campuses. Dual-stream recycle bins, biodegradable cutlery, cups, and plates, and reusable bottles are now part of our everyday lives. Our K-12 community is doing its part in building a more environmentally responsible school. You can see this commitment clearly with the changes to Big Yard at the elementary campus. From Grandparents and Special Friends Day to graduation, the field is a focal point for the Wildwood community. Our new field is made of environmentally friendly materials. The asphalt and rubber were replaced with porous and sustainable materials to facilitate a more natural response to fluctuating climate and weather conditions. These nontoxic upgrades improve temperature regulation

and moisture control—which, in addition to protecting planet Earth— ultimately make for a more comfortable outdoor experience for our youngest athletes. Another noticeable impact of the new-and-improved field is the overall increase of available use space. Removing the running track that circled the field allows for 30 percent more field and 100 percent more fun! The field now satisfies the recommended regulation size for youth soccer. Ben Fussiner, assistant director of elementary school and director of auxiliary programs says the enhancements to the field have “benefited PE and athletics programming at the elementary campus” and simply “given us a bigger space for exploration and play during the regular school day, as well as for after care and our summer programs.” So whether you’re drinking coffee from a biodegradable cup at Back to School Night or rocking to our senior jazz band at Gardenpalooza on Big Yard, you’re part of Wildwood’s sustainability plan.

2 | REPORT ON GENEROSITY 2017-2018