Student of the Month??? « It’s Getting Hot In Here

What do you do when one of your best friends get’s student of the month at her college? A week ago, I woke up to a phone call from Suzanne Graham, a friend of mine at SUNY Fredonia, to tell me of her schools decision to honor her with student of the month. “There’s even a big luncheon!” she said.

Suzanne and I first met about sixth months ago, but as all powerful relationships go, I feel as though we’ve known each other my whole life. She has lived already lived lifetimes and is only 21. She is an example the Energy Action Coalition and the Youth Climate Movement could only gain immense wisdom from. She is an ally in every sense of the word and has challenged herself over and over again to keep instituting anti-oppression into her life, to be the voice that people can identify with and learn from, she inspires me daily.

So, I’m sure you are wondering, why is she going on and on about this girl who received student of the month at her school. Well, one day you just might get an email that says, “ Suzanne had two professors nominate her, and both gave her high recommendations for this achievement due to her active involvement in her major and on campus. Suzanne organized and headed Fredonia’s Campus Climate Initiative which is designed to raise awareness and educate the campus about environmental issues such as conserving energy, which is just one of her many accomplishments.”

Minus the suzanne parts of course. What I really intend for this blog to do is to learn from each other. Teach by example. And maybe, just maybe you’ll be student of the month too.

In all seriousness though, we all have something to learn from each other. What do you want to teach the world?

About Shadia

Shadia began at age seven as an advocate for justice and the environment, in an eight year campaign to pass state legislation that, without it, was responsible for cancer clusters and deaths that existed in her community. In response to her efforts she has received the Yoshiyama Award from the Hitachi Foundation, and the Brower Youth Award from the Earth Island Institute. At age fifteen, She attended the World Summit on Sustainable Development, joining the youth energy caucus' efforts to create the Official Global Youth Energy Policy Statement. Months later, Shadia attended the Second National People of Color Summit and there she helped create the Environmental Justice Youth Platform. She is a member of the Environmental Justice Climate Coalition Youth Committee and is on the Kids Against Pollution National Board of Trustees. Shadia graduated from West Canada Valley High School in 2005, where she then took two years off before entering a career in higher education to work as a leader in the Global Youth Climate Movement. She finished working for the EJCC as the youngest Campus Climate Challenge Coordinator in the Energy Action Coalition, in October 2007. She is currently attending American University of Beirut, studying Arabic and Communications.