HPU Hosts 2026 Earth Day Celebration
HIGH POINT, N.C., April 24, 2026 – High Point University students, faculty and staff celebrated Earth Day on April 22 with sustainability vendors and organizations from the surrounding community. This is the 15th year that the university has held its annual Earth Day celebration.
HPU’s Hayworth Park was filled with live music, fun activities and free choices of sustainable food and succulent plants for students to enjoy on the last day of classes for the spring semester.
“I think now, more than ever, sustainability of natural resources is so important,” said Mat Allred, HPU’s senior director of Recreation Services. “Our students are conscious of that, and here at High Point University, we reflect our students. This is an extraordinary event. It’s always something I look forward to every year. It’s my favorite event on campus.”
Students tasted corn-pressed juice, interacted with animals at the petting zoo, learned about the lives of bees and ate plenty of roasted corn. It has become a tradition for HPU to serve roasted corn to students on Earth Day. They also watched special performances from Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel as it skied behind a remote-controlled boat.
“I think it’s special that our university puts this on for us to get the kids outside and everybody hanging out,” said Grace Mitchell, a sophomore health and wellness major from Lake Norman, North Carolina. “It’s cool we get to experience new products and celebrate our earth.”
Lovie Zeko, co-owner of Carolina Corn Roaster and Zeko’s Pizza, said her restaurant’s food trucks have provided roasted corn and pizza sticks on HPU’s campus for nearly 20 years. She and her husband Koory Zeko’s daughter, Jayla Zeko, is a Class of 2024 alumna, and the couple are university partners.
“This is one of our greatest honors to be able to continue this tradition,” Lovie Zeko said. “Over the years, to watch how we’ve come full circle has been amazing.”
Mom’s Clean Air Force was on campus for the first time to raise awareness of chemical recycling, renewable energy and climate change, said Ashley Hillard, North Carolina field organizer for the company.
“We often connect with families, and we thought it would be great to connect with students too,” she said.
Owl’s Roost Wildlife Education also brought owls to campus for the first time. Volunteers advised students not to throw trash out onto roads because it attracts owls who often get hit by cars, said Melanie Almengual, lead handler for Owl’s Roost, which is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
“Our purpose is for education and conservation,” Almengual said. “I’m pleasantly surprised by the questions from the students.”
Other vendors included Buff City Soap, the Deep River Riverkeepers, Delta Arts Center, Ella’s Popcorn, Harvest Table, Haystack Homestead petting zoo, High Point Library, Keep High Point Beautiful, Puurfect Place, Rolling Greens, The Only Earth, Thrift Point and True Cut Ranch.
Tess Bergey, a sophomore fashion merchandising major, said she doesn’t know of other universities who do any similar Earth Day events.
“It’s good so many small businesses have an opportunity to show us their products,” said Bergey, who is from Buck’s County, Pennsylvania.
“There’s so much stuff here to do,” said Toni VanScott, a freshman business administration major from Staten Island, New York. “There are T-shirts and a lot of activities I didn’t expect. I wasn’t expecting it to be this crazy.”
Emilie Tomko, a freshman entrepreneurship major from Freehold, New Jersey, said her mother didn’t believe her when she called to say there was a waterskiing squirrel performing on campus. Tomko said she was surprised to see baby goats and learn more about stormwater drainage during the event.
The festivities continued with students enjoying frozen treats in the Park at Slane Outdoor Court, listening to a live band, getting their faces painted and playing on a bungee trampoline and a water slide. A block party-style Sunset Celebration completed the Earth Day event.