Leading with Purpose: Emma Shi ’32 Inspires a New Generation of Environmental Stewards

In celebration of Earth Week, we are proud to highlight the inspiring leadership of fifth-grader Emma Shi ’32, whose creativity and passion for sustainability are resonating throughout our school community—and beyond.

Two years ago, Emma designed a vibrant and thought-provoking poster for the My Green MA initiative, a school-wide effort to promote environmental stewardship. This year, her original idea has blossomed into a full-scale, student-led campaign: all students in grades 1 through 5 have been invited to create their own Earth Day posters. These individual works of art will be collected and transformed into a short film—a joyful celebration of the voices and imagination of our youngest environmental advocates.

Emma collaborated with Mr. Brian Elstein and Mrs. Sara Polefka on the poster project. She appeared on the MABC Morning Announcements alongside Mr. Elstien to share her inspiration and explain how students could create their own posters. All completed designs were submitted to Mrs. Polefka, who will compile them into a film. Stay tuned to see the final film.

In addition to the poster initiative, Earth Week at our Historic Downtown Campus  includes a renewed focus on composting, in partnership with Dr. Abby Mahone, Dr. Sara Vanderbeck and Mr. Ben Leffler, Director of Dining Services.

Emma Shi exemplifies what it means to be an ethical, inclusive, and globally-minded citizen. Through her leadership, she embodies Moravian Academy’s enduring commitment to nurturing thoughtful leaders who care deeply about their communities—and the planet they will inherit.