In recent years, environmental obstacles have caused more complications than ever before, but some Pleasant Valley students are motivated by this challenge and strive to make a change.

Being the only standing club of its kind, Love Your Mother Earth Club was founded by Sophia Foad and Grace Ludwig in 2023 to expose students of all ages to the importance of caring for the environment. 

The initial goal of this club was to plant a flower garden for students to enjoy, however, their mission has developed and expanded since then. 

While heavily emphasizing PV high school students, the club doesn’t exclude anyone. Teaching young students about environmental sustainability and importance is the crucial first step in sustaining the club’s impact into future years. Love Your Mother engages elementary students within and outside of the school district in their teachings.

The club has reached out to local girl scout troops to broaden the audience of their message. With the scouts, the group does environmentally friendly crafts and activities to create an excitement for caring for mother nature. 

They also visit PV elementary schools where they allow rising Spartans the opportunity to learn gardening skills and the significance of growing a garden.

The club is essential to Pleasant Valley high school for numerous reasons. The garden itself has been beneficial to both the students of PV and the environment around it. “It attracts butterflies and bees which pollinate the area, and we also made an unappealing patch of land more aesthetically pleasing for PV students and staff, ” Foad said.

Since its founding, the club has gained support from families, friends and coaches who donate time and supplies to the cause. “In spring of 2023 we had only 20 or so students in the club. Now, only a few months later, we have over 60 students actively participating in Love Your Mother,” Foad remarked.

The students involved in the club enjoy being able to do community service that doesn’t feel like work at all. The immense growth of the club is all thanks to the wonderful volunteers who continue to show up and bring new members along with them. “I have brought my friends to the Love Your Mother club and they have enjoyed it! We love being outdoors and helping the community,” said freshman Frankie Gotto.

While the club is proudly led by students, they could not do it without their adult support. Coaches, teachers and custodians have all pitched in their time and efforts to ultimately make the club what it is now. “We are so thankful for our adult contributors. As teenagers, we can’t do everything alone- sometimes we need an extra hand from someone of authority,” Foad said. 

While they’ve already had a great onset, the club will not settle.

In the future, they plan to expand their effects to those in need. The next step for this group is growing vegetable gardens to donate to a local homeless shelter and nursing homes, effective shortly. 

As for the winter months, it is difficult to plan events and activities, but Love Your Mother perseveres. They have already begun their winter planning with eco-friendly projects which will have constructive effects come the warmer months.

With a new school year emerging, Love Your Mother Club is prepared for another year of development in high hopes of achieving positive change.