Greenery in Schools
Exploring the connections between greener campuses, student well-being, and the learning environment.
Greenery in Schools
Miles Silverman
February 14, 2024
High school sophomore
What could schools gain by investing in greenery?
This school research essay reviews published work on green space, student stress, attention, heat, and the learning environment. It makes the case for treating campus greenery as an investment in student well-being and considers that choice alongside other demands on school budgets.
I wrote this literature-based essay as a sophomore in high school, drawing on published research.
Read the full essay · PDF (opens in a new tab)Why this interests me.
The essay helped me connect environmental design with how people feel and learn. That interest also shaped my advocacy for school green-space funding during a congressional visit to Washington, D.C., in 2024. It remains an early example of the question that runs through my work: how can the built environment better support people?
Good things start
with a connection.
Interested in infrastructure, a project, or an idea worth building? I’d love to hear from you.
milessil@usc.edu