To the Editor:
The Vineyard Youth Summit for Sustainable Development was a success — thanks to so many. More than 50 youths were nominated by the community to serve as youth delegates. Seventeen graduated on July 2, sharing their vision, their passion, their joy with their parents, teachers, sponsors, and Island leaders.
We are very grateful to all of our sponsors for investing in these young people. The Menemsha Inn owners and staff welcomed our youth delegates and supported us all week. Stone Soup style, the Island pitched in and fed these young people with their tasty food.
Thanks to all those who nominated young people, especially Sherri Church, Leo Frame, Karen Krowski, and Noli Taylor. These youth leaders are ready to implement their Sustainability-In-Action projects with local organizations. The first is building a greenhouse with Andrew Woodruff at Whippoorwill Farms, so Islanders can have year-round local greens.
Thanks to our advisory council: Nancy Cole, Nancy Gardella, Chuck Hughes, Mark London, William Marks, Mark Martin, Carrie Tankard, with special thanks to Sidney Morris and Jane Parquet. To the Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellows, Emma Green Beach, Liz Baldwin, and Noli Taylor for sharing their passion, joy and practical knowledge; for Bob Woodruff, our sustainable Vineyard tour guide, and Chris Seidel, our Sustainable Vineyard map coordinator. Our project coordinators, Adrian Aristide and Isabelle Lew, who invited their friends, like John Stanwood, to help. More than 100 people and sponsors helped to make this possible. We are grateful to everyone.
Given the times we live in, it gives everyone hope to see a new generation of young leaders who are learning to build a more sustainable world.
Marianne Larned
Stone Soup Leadership InstituteVineyard Haven
