Mollie Campbell has worked at BRIDGES since December 2007. In her time here, she has revitalized the middle school youth development program Future Builders and ushered in a new program, Ordinary to Extraordinary: Learning and Leading Green! What are Mollie’s insights on the program, its impact, and going green in Memphis? Read on to find out!
What is your impression of the impact of this program? The O2E program is having a real impact on the youth AND adults who have come through over the past year. The students are experiencing significant increases in their math and science learning, as well as their leadership skills and inspiration for community change. And everyone who comes through O2E is inspired to ‘green’ their community and make Memphis a greener/better place!
What is your favorite part about giving tours of the BRIDGES building? My favorite part about O2E is how the program has similar impacts on all of the diverse groups of people who come through the building. From school fieldtrips to corporate groups, from faith groups to families…everyone is impacted in unique ways!
What are some things that you have altered in your daily life in order to reduce greenhouse gases? I buy local food consistently. This summer, I even bought a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) package from the Memphis Farmers Market. I got amazingly fresh and delicious produce every single week!
Do you have any specific stories from a tour or O2E experience that you would like to share? I will never forget when one bright young man from Memphis City Schools was engaging with the renewable energy/bike generator machine. He looked very pensive as he was riding the bike (generating his own clean energy). He stopped pedaling and asked his classmates, “As often as people work out in this country, why aren’t all of the treadmills, stair-masters and fitness bikes in America connected to these generators? We could probably power the whole country with clean, renewable energy!” This is exactly the kind of critical, ‘out of the box’ thinking that O2E inspires with every group that comes through the BRIDGES Center. I am so proud to be able to witness these kinds of ‘green awakenings’ amongst the youth and adults in our communities!