At Summit Christian Academy, sustainability is more than a science lesson—it’s a way of life rooted in faith, stewardship, and servant leadership. Our students are not just learning about environmental challenges; they’re actively responding to them with creativity, compassion, and conviction. Through hands-on projects and student-led initiatives, we’re nurturing a generation that is equipped to care for God’s creation and lead change in their communities.
From the soil to the sea, from our closets to our cafeterias, Summit is leading the charge to care for creation—one project, one student, and one faithful step at a time.
With 13 acres of beautiful Texas Hill Country, Summit is home to native trees like Ashe Juniper, Live Oak, Texas Red Oak, and more. In Spring 2025, junior Zakari Lamb launched our first Ecosystem Restoration Project, aimed at restoring native plant life and managing the land with long-term sustainability in mind. By preserving biodiversity and supporting pollinators, this initiative ensures our land remains healthy for future generations—and reflects our calling to be faithful stewards of creation.
Since Spring 2022, our four organic raised beds have provided hands-on learning opportunities for middle school science students and the Environmental Science class. Spearheaded by Madison Bartz, Makenna Wilson, Tony Zhang, and Esther Lee, these gardens supply fresh vegetables and herbs to our cafeteria, and send the “first fruits” of each harvest to a local food pantry. Our gardens rely on rainwater we collect and compost we create—showing students how sustainability, generosity, and education can grow side by side.
In Spring 2024, students Joaquin Henson, Jack Bozadzis, Dylan Lagares, and Lawrence Le implemented a rainwater collection system that captures runoff from an 800-square-foot roof. With Austin averaging 35.5 inches of rain annually, this system can yield up to 2,830 gallons of water each year—enough to meet most of our garden’s needs, especially when supplemented by two 300-gallon storage barrels. Students learn firsthand the value of resource conservation and how to harness God’s provision.
Our composting program, launched in Spring 2025 by Madison McGirr and the National Honor Society, diverts 300–400 pounds of food and garden waste each year from the landfill. Using two 45-gallon tumblers, students transform scraps into 90–120 gallons of compost, enriching our garden soil naturally. This closed-loop system demonstrates how even waste can be redeemed with the right mindset and a little effort.
Led by our 5th grade classrooms, teachers, and the Environmental Science class, Summit’s campus-wide recycling program has been cutting our trash output by up to 50% since it began in Fall 2021. Initiated by Justin Rayl, Tanner Ingram, and Klein Coburn, this project helps students understand how small actions – like recycling classroom paper and plastic – can create big environmental impacts.
The Outdoor Learning Deck, created by Katya Travnikova, Savannah Simental, Chelsea Scardino, and McKenna Carter in Spring 2024, is a space where students learn in nature while staying connected to their Creator. With a green power station that supports device use outside, the deck invites students to reflect, recharge, and learn in an energy-efficient, peaceful setting.
The fashion industry now produces over 100 billion garments annually, fueling a cycle of overconsumption that results in one garbage truck full of clothing being burned or landfilled every second. Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10% of global carbon emissions, and synthetic fabrics shed microplastics that pollute our oceans and infiltrate the food chain.
At Summit, we’re working to break this cycle. Thanks to a student-led initiative launched in Spring 2022 by Kiley Millican, Danielle Davis, Minh Pham, and Kate Norris, our community is learning to:
Together, we’re redefining what it means to dress responsibly and challenging the culture of overconsumption with practical, faith-aligned choices.
Each year, over 400 million tons of plastic are produced—much of it used once and tossed, contributing to a global waste crisis. With only 9% of plastic ever recycled, much ends up polluting our land, oceans, and even entering our bodies in the form of microplastics.
At Summit, students are taking action. In Spring 2023, Theo Lundberg, Lauryn Pickerrell, Muthoni Okubo, and Scott Kidwell launched a campaign to reduce single-use plastics on campus. Their efforts include:
Through these changes, Summit is working to protect the health of our students, our environment, and future generations.
Each of these student-led projects reflects the heart of Summit’s Sustainable Stewardship—an initiative that blends knowledge, compassion, and action. Whether we’re restoring ecosystems, rethinking what we wear, or reimagining waste, our goal is clear: to lead with wisdom, serve with humility, and leave the world better than we found it.
Because at Summit Christian Academy, we’re not just talking about change—we’re leading the charge to care for creation.
Private school, private christian school, austin tx, private school near me