Junior year of high school is all about studying for the ACT, passing AP tests and beginning the college search process. That is no different for junior Kendall Kuntz, but try adding an environmental sustainability passion project, varsity soccer captain and special education advocate on top of that.
Kuntz began a collaborative project with District 58 and SCARCE to recycle the middle schools’ “binders” that the students carry around from class to class.
“At the end of my eighth grade year, I noticed that we had four binders (two for myself, two for my brother) sitting in our crawl space. I thought, ‘Many people probably just throw these binders away. What can I do to prevent the materials from sitting in a landfill?’ From there, I developed my binder recycling program, where myself and a team of volunteers deconstructs the binders, and an organization called SCARCE recycles each part,” Kuntz said.
DGS 2025 graduate, Sienna Thurston, has volunteered for Kuntz’s project numerous times and shared what makes Kuntz so special.
“Qualities that make her project successful is that she is very organized and is one of those people who follows through on everything. If she says something will get done or happen, you can always rely on her to work hard to get it done,” Thurston said.
Kuntz reflects on how this project has aided her and not just the environment.
“Facilitating this program has allowed me to see the value in perseverance and the power of others’ belief in you. First, this project took me almost three years to start. My own perseverance made me realize how invigorating a passion could be. Second, I used the confidence of others in myself to facilitate my own perseverance,” Kuntz said.
Kuntz, aware that the project was her idea and her efforts, still took time to shout out and thank the adults who made this possible.
“The project could not have been a success without Principal Humphris and Kay McKeen, the director of SCARCE. Had they not taken a chance on a high schooler and been willing to stick with me through those three years of facilitation, the project would not be what it is today,” Kuntz said.
On top of her project, she also volunteers with high school students during special education PE classes. Special education teacher and coach for Kendall among tennis and soccer, Adam Petersen, has a great grasp on Kuntz’s true character.
“Kendall leads by example, pushing her teammates to improve while always encouraging and uplifting them. She creates a positive, inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute,” Petersen said.
Kuntz is a busy woman and shares how she gets it all done.
“I really try to focus on balance. I do a lot of activities and my education is very important to me, but I also let my passion take precedence. I take advantage of the time when school comes to a close, because that is when I have more time and energy to focus on the project,” Kuntz said.
Senior soccer captain Megan Pogorelec shares what it is like to work alongside Kuntz.
“Being a captain with Kendall is really easy because she takes her job and leadership very seriously and she is ahead of the game and always gets things done. She is very thoughtful towards others and will do things people don’t even think of. She bought keychains for the whole team for us to match and made trivia questions for a team bonding activity,” Pogorelec said.
Kuntz is an amazing human being as shown through her work, and has the characteristics to take her very far in life.
“Kendall has the potential to make a lasting impact in any community she joins because of her leadership and compassion. She will continue to inspire others and create inclusive spaces wherever she goes,” Petersen said.
Kuntz wants every student to feel as though they can make a difference, and encourages people to start by making their own project, or aiding with hers.
“If you have a passion, don’t give up on it. Although a project may take a long time to start, if you truly believe in something, it is worth the perseverance needed to make your idea a reality. The biggest way that people can support my work is by volunteering their time – the more people that are willing to give their time, the bigger difference we can make,” Kuntz said.