Cathedral Student Inspires City Officials

When the city solicited community input in 2016 for a planned renovation of Astoria Park, Cathedral student Angela G. ‘20 wrote a proposal for rain gardens and presented it at one of the public meetings held by the Parks Department. “I’m not scared of discussing my ideas,” Angela told the Post. The proposal struck a chord with park officials. “I was blown away by what she wrote about the importance of our future, about sustainability and how we have to do the right thing here in Astoria Park,” Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver said. Last week, city officials held a groundbreaking to kick off the $34 million-dollar park renovation. In keeping with Angela’s proposal, the master plan for the park includes rain gardens around the east end of the track.

 

A resident of Astoria, Angela is passionate about reducing pollution in the East River and turning it back into a clean waterway. Rain gardens capture runoff and naturally filter out pollutants through the soil. She also plans to advocate for the implementation of permeable sidewalks and rain barrels in her neighborhood, which also help mitigate runoff. Her dream is to be able to fish in the river one day.

 

Here at school, Angela started the first Mixed Race Affinity Group this year, finding a faculty advisor with the help of Dr. Duncan and then presenting her idea at US Assembly. There are currently nine students in the group. Angela joined Cathedral as a 6^th grader last year. She credits last year’s 8^th grade class for inspiring her to take the lead in her new community. “I watched the 8^th graders [present], and I said if they can do that, I can.”