“Watching her on television for the first time, I saw climate change as a big issue, and realized that all youth needed to get involved, and not just one person on their own,” Rosie said. She wanted Lenz to sponsor Fridays For Future, a student-led climate initiative modeled after Swedish activist Greta Thunberg’s climate strike outside her country’s parliament. They are part of a growing youth movement, impatient and frustrated, yet empowered by the sum of their collective effort to create a more equitable and sustainable future.Įarly this school year, 8th-grader Rosie Clemans-Cope walked into Chad Lenz’ science classroom at Julius West Middle School in Rockville on a mission. This month we profile three Maryland teenagers, each a leader among their peers seeking to address solutions to a global crisis. Many have been inspired by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who, at 15 in 2018, staged daily protests outside the Swedish Parliament with demands that leaders listen to her pleas for the planet. Photo by Rosanne Skirble.Įditor’s Note: Taking climate lessons from the classroom to the community, Maryland students are becoming increasingly vocal, marching in protests, organizing rallies and challenging school and government authorities to act on their concerns. Rosie Clemans-Cope leads fellow students in a chant during a Fridays for Future gathering at the Julius West Middle School soccer field.

Julius west middle school