THS Students Take 2nd Place for 3rd Annual Detroit Zoo Greenprize

Every year on Earth Day (which was April 22, 2020) the Detroit Zoo announces the winners of their GreenPrize Project Competition. GreenPrize, now in its 3rd year, is a contest that encourages local students to develop sustainable solutions for their schools, and gathers the best and brightest projects that can make a real change in the world.

This year’s second place winner was a team from Troy High, freshmen Aleena Malik and Cecelia Fan. After conducting a biology project on human environmental impact, the students submitted their proposal about “The Shared Table” as an entry for the Zoo’s competition. Further research indicated that 40% of food in this country goes to waste--and specifically that less than 85% of each school meal is eaten (meaning 15% is not consumed). Malik and Fan felt even more motivated to do something about it, and the concept of “The Shared Table” was born: a designated station or table placed in the lunchroom where students can return untouched, unopened food and beverage items which can then be made available to students wanting to take or eat an additional serving at no cost.

Said Malik: “It’s really a quite simple, cost-free solution that can be implemented by anyone; and while “The Shared Table” is not some extraordinary invention that will save lives and cure disease nor a technological advancement to make everyday tasks exponentially more efficient for the entirety of mankind, it takes a first step by impacting students at our school, raising awareness, reducing waste, and minimizing our footprint on the world.”

The 2nd place GreenPrize from the Zoo is a $600 cash award to be used toward implementing The Shared Table at Troy High School, and then expand to other schools in as well as outside the District. “As a leader in environmental sustainability, we are committed to bettering the world for both humans and wildlife,” said Rachel Handbury, Detroit Zoological Society manager of sustainability. “The GreenPrize competition gives us the opportunity to engage local students and schools in joining us on our ‘Green Journey.’”

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Photo courtesy of Troy Schools