Written by Emily Tan (Class of 2026), the Class of 2025, and the DVGS Editorial Team
Photos by Erica Lai (Class of 2024)

On a lovely weekend morning amidst the light breeze and warm sunlight, the IGDVS students went on a trip to the Russian River, accompanied by their teachers and parents. The sparkling river meandered along the curves of the bank, with the occasional glint of algae and trash. After a brief introduction and safety guidelines, it was time to make the river and its surroundings more beautiful!

While it was disheartening to see so much litter amongst the greenery, it was satisfying to see the trash bags fill up one by one, bursting with bottles and cigarette butts which were now no longer polluting the river bank.

Twenty bags later, everyone was tired and sweaty, but the sense of accomplishment and joy from connecting with nature and caring for the environment pervaded the late morning air.

There was only one thing left to do— celebrate with a buffet lunch! The students enjoyed trays of fried rice, stir-fried noodles, spring rolls, sweet and sour gluten balls, and a variety of scrumptious veggies.

This activity was a great way to get involved in our community and give back to the environment, as it is everyone’s duty to love and protect the earth. While we are always grateful for nature, this river cleanup was a chance to finally put our gratitude into action.

Special thanks to our guides Mr. Joe Scriven and Mr. Michael Harrigan, and our teachers Jin Jr Shr, Ms. Kravitz, Ms. Phi, Ms. Ashley, Mrs. Francis, and Mr. Wu for their support!