🎤 Voices for the Future: Youth Sustainability Fair Grows and Glows
By: Sarah W Andover High School senior
Sarah, Lincoln and Rep. Tram spoke to the attendees
Following a year of dedicated effort, the second annual Youth Sustainability Fair took place on Saturday, April 26. Similarly to last year, it took place from 1:00-3:00, with around 200 attendees from Andover and surrounding towns. This year’s event expanded beyond last year’s two-hour format to include StoryCorps podcast, roundtable discussion, and movie screening opportunities, transforming the fair into a full day experience. The overwhelmingly positive feedback we received highlighted not only the success in promoting sustainability but also the sense of support and shared hope among participants.
The StoryCorps podcast, inspired by NPR’s StoryCorps segment, was introduced by Joyce Losick-Yang, Andover’s Director of Sustainability and Energy. Starting at 12:00, any fair vendor and attendee had the opportunity to speak openly about their climate anxiety and hope. These conversations manifested in a variety of different modes, some conversational, and some answering pre-made prompts. The conversations will be pieced together and posted online. Listen to our first sample now.
The roundtable discussion met before the fair’s start, and was open to any student. Students from Andover High School, Phillips Academy, Salem High School, Pike School, Doherty Middle School, and West Elementary school answered prompts, moderated by ESIC advisor, Melanie Cutler. This provided an opportunity for students from all academic and age backgrounds to connect due to a common passion—sustainability and climate preservation.
“My daughter and I absolutely loved being at the Youth Sustainability Fair. She had such a great time that she didn’t want to leave. It was truly inspiring for her, and she even mentioned that she wants to start an environment club when she enters middle school this fall.”
Following the end of the fair, a screening of Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy was shown, and was engaged with by many adults. The film was a perfect wrap-up to the fair, continuing to emphasize the themes of the fair with a humorous tone. Within the fair itself, there were 200 visitors over two hours, dispersed throughout 25 organizations and clubs. Despite last minute cancellations and difficulty managing the microphone, the fair ran cohesively.
There were many groups from Andover High School: the Advanced Placement Environmental Science Course, Environmental Club, Fashion Club, Garden Club, and Environmental Sustainability Internship Course (ESIC). Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School was represented by their Horticulture program, and students studying Environmental Science from Greater Lawrence Technical School. Pike School Generation Green shared upcycling including T-shirts made into shopping bags.. Many Andover community programs, like the Andover Green Advisory Board (AGAB), Pollinator Pathways, Cazimi Collaborative, and of course, Andover WECAN, had tables. An exciting addition was the introduction to organizations from outside of Andover, like the North Andover Historical Society, to highlight voices across the Merrimack Valley.
With over 25 organizations represented and student groups from multiple schools, the event demonstrated strong community and regional collaboration. New additions and returning efforts alike helped ensure the 2025 Youth Sustainability Fair built on past successes and laid the groundwork for future growth.
