Meet one of the volunteers who makes Green Light go round. Camly Tram is a recent Ben Franklin High School graduate, where she was president of the Green Society Club for two years. During those two years Ben Franklin HS won the Louisiana Green Schools challenge. Coincidence? We think not.

Meet Camly Tram—a recent Benjamin Franklin High School graduate, who is continuing her studies next year at Tulane. She’s also a Green Light volunteer. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Camly for four years. She is one of those people whose enthusiasm isn’t easily forgotten.

Camly was president of Green Society, the environmental club at her high school. An active imagination isn’t needed to picture the difficulty in mustering volunteers from high school students, especially when you ask for it bright and early on precious Saturday mornings. However, Camly not only volunteered, herself, but lead and encouraged many others to join her. She and other fellow students came to Green Light, and instead of sleeping in, installed free CFL light bulbs in homes across Orleans Parish. Speaking about her experience Camly says the most valuable was the first garden build for a family living in the East. “It was really heart warming to watch the two kids help set up the garden in the back yard and to teach them about the plants that they were putting in”. Camly recalled how their mom sternly warned the enthusiastic builders about the chores this new and exciting feature of their backyard would entail.

That’s what Camly thinks makes Green Light unique: they take something as global and seemingly insurmountable as the issue of climate change and shrink it down to an operation in which she and others can make an impact, home by home. “They really help you find your niche, your way to get involved”. What also made an impression on her was how holistic Green Light is in tackling the barriers for low income people and others to be more environmental. “The light bulbs are free, brought and installed for them and the incandescent ones are removed from the cycle.” When asked to summarize her experience with Green Light in one word, Camly offered “empowering”. When you hear her plans and accomplishments, you know she’s not embellishing. This summer she is working as an intern at United Way in their Resource Department. Excited for this opportunity, she is eager to learn about grant writing and the other inner working of nonprofits and to continue volunteering with Green Light. “It’ll actually be easier now since I count as a chaperone” she joked, referencing the difficulty Green Society had in finding adults to accompany the high schoolers on their Saturday volunteer trips. Passionate about helping others, Camly is continuing to work with Green Light even as she takes the next step forward in her life as a college student. At Tulane University next semester, pursuing a Social Entrepreneurship Minor with dreams to work at a nonprofit later in life, she continues to exhibit her love for New Orleans, its people and indefatigable dedication to serving them.

Interviewed and written by: Grace Hebert
Green Light’s Assistant Garden and Volunteer Coordinator Intern