By Ellie S. (11th Grade)
On Saturday, August 17th, 2025, the OHS Climate Action Project (CAP), including CAP’s president Ellie S. and outreach officer Katiella H., as well as other OHSers: Jacob L., Alicia L., Amanda G. and Rachel L., hosted a booth (in collaboration with local youth clubs) at the annual Cupertino Bobateeno Festival. CAP’s goal at this event was to engage with the community, particularly children, to raise awareness about sustainability and the crucial role of individual action in combating climate change.
The team staffed an interactive booth featuring a series of hands-on activities designed to educate and inspire young attendees. The main activities included:
- Questionnaire: A fun questionnaire was presented to kids to gauge their existing knowledge of recycling and energy conservation. For questions such as “Do you use reusable bags?” – almost everyone said yes. “Do you make an effort to conserve water?” – some kids said “Sometimes”, some said “Always”. These questions helped initiate conversations about how small changes in daily lives can make a big impact.
- “Go Green” Survey & Idea Sharing: Attendees were invited to share their personal view on what is the most pressing environmental issue in their city, and ideas on how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. “Lots of plastic being thrown away”, “Need more compost opportunities”, “Initiatives to have more public transport”, “Try to bike to school” etc. This activity empowered participants to feel like they are part of the solution.
- T-shirt Design : OHSers also helped guide kids to design t-shirts with sustainability themes, which will be showcased at the Santa Clara Art & Wine festival during the Jr Fashion Show event. This activity helped merge environmental advocacy with a fun and artistic outlet.
The booth’s giveaway items, including sustainability-themed temporary tattoos and stickers, were a great hit. Additionally, members promoted the concept of reuse by giving away recycled toys.
Cupertino Major Liang Chao also visited the booth, where students described CAP’s mission to her. OHSer’s presence at the festival was a great success, reaching a new audience and inspiring the next generation to be proactive stewards of the environment. It also served as a wonderful opportunity for the OHS students to meet up, bond, and enjoy some free boba tea.
