From January through April 2025, the LMC Heritage & Me program partnered with the City of Bellevue to launch the four-month Sustainable Bellevue Ambassador Program. More than 20 middle and high school student volunteers participated in the initiative, helping the City collect over 200 community surveys to gather public feedback on the Sustainable Bellevue Plan.
Throughout the program, we gained firsthand insight into Bellevue's long-term vision for environmental sustainability. We attended workshops at Bellevue City Hall, where we learned about the City's 2050 sustainability goals in five key areas: climate change, energy, transportation, waste reduction, and natural ecosystems. We explored the wetlands of Mercer Slough Nature Park, learning about the importance of protecting urban ecosystems. We also volunteered at the Recycle + Recreate Market Fair, where we encouraged residents to transform everyday household items into creative and practical crafts, promoting sustainable living through reuse.
One of the program's most meaningful contributions was supporting the City's public outreach efforts for the Sustainable Bellevue Plan. As student ambassadors, we engaged with families, friends, neighbors, classmates, teachers, and other community members, collecting more than 200 survey responses. Our efforts helped the City better understand residents' priorities for sustainability initiatives and identify the environmental issues that matter most to the community.
Environmental stewardship begins with everyday actions. Through this program, we discovered that each of us can make a meaningful difference by taking small steps to protect our environment and build a more sustainable community.
