Thrifting for Sustainability by Danielle

Thrifting for Sustainability by Danielle - June 2025 Scholarship Essay

The value of thrifting should absolutely be a required course. While my parents worked long hours, I grew up spending a lot of time with my grandmother. She introduced me to the holy grail of shopping at what was known as the thrift store. Finding fabrics at, as she said, “100 times cheaper prices,” sparked my interest in transforming our newly found delights into something special.

In my junior year, I took on a school sustainability project that was proposed by my AP Environmental Science teacher, Ms. Brauer. The task: Showcase your favorite unique, lifelong, sustainable practice to the school.

For this project, I presented my two-toned denim bucket hats that were made from my newly acquired thrifted jeans. My classmates were impressed, and I felt inspired to share the meaningful experience of taking seemingly invaluable or unwanted items and transforming them into something useful and appreciated.

I began posting flyers around campus and making personal invitations in my classes. Nine classmates came to the first meeting of our after school upcycling club. For our first project, we worked together to make dog bananas using upcycled fabrics. I shared with the group that my inspiration for this project came from an idea that my grandmother instilled in me: to respect humankind by valuing and protecting the environment in which we live. After hearing my personal connection to this project, more members felt comfortable to share a part of their identity from their family or culture. From Christa whose parents were from Nigeria, we learned how to embroider Nigerian Hausa patterns on our upcycled tote bags. Other members taught us how to embroider colorful Otomi patterns inspired by their Mexican heritage. I began to see that each week, we were weaving a part of ourselves into our creations, establishing our unique community.

The possibilities for change and growth are endless with the establishment of the “Thrifting for Sustainability” course. My after school upcycling club is growing and evolving each day into a rich and vibrant community based on our shared belief in sustainability, and so will other school communities once they adopt these values and practices too. I learned the strongest communities are created through the unity of individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Together, we are creating beautiful upcycled items and a more sustainable future for our community.