2025 Justice Summit: Caring For Our Common Home
On Wednesday, April 9th, the Loyola Blakefield community came together to celebrate our annual Justice Summit, a day dedicated to motivating students to become knowledgeable about and involved in addressing various societal challenges that exist both locally and in our broader society.
This year's theme, Caring for Our Common Home, is one of the four Universal Apostolic Preferences for the Society of Jesus, emphasizing environmental stewardship rooted in faith, justice, and a commitment to the greater good. Rooted in the teachings of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, this pillar invites our Dons to recognize the sacredness of creation and our shared responsibility to protect it. It goes beyond simply recycling or reducing waste, but challenges us to examine how our choices, be it personal, institutional, or societal, impact the planet and the people who inhabit it, particularly the most vulnerable.
This year we were honored to have our keynote address from Mr. Stephen Ritz, an internationally acclaimed educator and founder of the Green Bronx Machine, a nonprofit organization that integrates urban agriculture into education to promote healthy living and academic success. Upper school students then participated in a variety of breakout sessions from a wide range of community speakers, including advocates from the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, Blue Water Baltimore, Chesapeake Conservancy, as well as a variety of faculty and staff speakers.
Special thanks to Mrs. Szczepaniak and our Justice Summit Committee for another incredible educational experience for our community.
View photos below:
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This year's theme, Caring for Our Common Home, is one of the four Universal Apostolic Preferences for the Society of Jesus, emphasizing environmental stewardship rooted in faith, justice, and a commitment to the greater good. Rooted in the teachings of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, this pillar invites our Dons to recognize the sacredness of creation and our shared responsibility to protect it. It goes beyond simply recycling or reducing waste, but challenges us to examine how our choices, be it personal, institutional, or societal, impact the planet and the people who inhabit it, particularly the most vulnerable.
This year we were honored to have our keynote address from Mr. Stephen Ritz, an internationally acclaimed educator and founder of the Green Bronx Machine, a nonprofit organization that integrates urban agriculture into education to promote healthy living and academic success. Upper school students then participated in a variety of breakout sessions from a wide range of community speakers, including advocates from the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, Blue Water Baltimore, Chesapeake Conservancy, as well as a variety of faculty and staff speakers.
Special thanks to Mrs. Szczepaniak and our Justice Summit Committee for another incredible educational experience for our community.
View photos below:
