(Tre’) Richard M. Diemer, III, a Freshman at Rice Memorial High School and a Mater Christi School Alumnus traveled to the State House in Montpelier on Thursday, April 28th, to accept an award on behalf of Vermont Governor, Peter Shumlin. Tre’ received recognition for a long lasting environmental conservation project that he started while in seventh grade at Mater Christi School.

As student body Vice President that year, Tre’ decided that he wanted to make a lasting difference in his school. He worked with Chittenden Solid Waste District to secure a grant to purchase and install two new water re-filling stations. Further, he designed and helped to implement a new recycling/compost sort station for the cafeteria. Lastly, he helped raise money, negotiate contracts, secure donations and gave $350 of his own money towards the cause.

Tre’ is quick to add that the MCS community was very encouraging and he could not done it without the support of the students, faculty, staff, several generous parents, and the Sisters of Mercy. Diemer stated: “Today, using the water re-filling stations and the cafeteria’s sort station is second nature to the younger kids at Mater Christi . We reduced what was going into the landfill tremendously. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome”.