Sixteen year old Greta Thunberg has become a household name for her environmental activism work. She began the world-wide school strike for climate in 2018, after a picture of her holding a sign saying “School Strike for the Climate” in front of the Swedish Parliament went viral.

Greta has since spoken at major world events, such as the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Her message every time stays the same, that the human race is facing an existential crisis that is not being taken seriously by older generations.

“She gives a voice to so many young people who feel like they don’t have the power to make a difference,” sophomore Grace Moriarty said.

Greta’s School Strike for Climate initiative has since gathered many supporters. On 15 March 2019, over one million strikers gathered across the globe.

The 1.1 million students in the New York district schools were even excused from school to attend a rally led by Thunberg in Battery Park.

“She shows young people that if they believe in something really passionately, they can make a difference too,” sophomore Amy Nguyen said.

Her work has earned her a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. She is among 301 candidates nominated in that category. If she were to win, Greta would be the youngest winner to date, at age sixteen.

“As a young woman, it’s very impactful to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize,” Moriarty said, “It empowers other teens to use their voice to create positive change.”