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School places second in 2005 Youth Environmental Symposium
May 3, 2005 1:19 PM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Darlington School was named second-place winner in the Georgia Conservancy’s 2005 Youth Environmental Symposium (YES), held Friday, April 29 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Ga.
Owen Kinney’s Environmental Science class received a cash prize of $1,000 for their project, which focused on wildlife conservation through citizen science, habitat creation and environmental outreach.
“Students used knowledge gained in Georgia Natural History class to promote ecological awareness among younger students and the community at large,” said Kinney, whose classes have participatedin YES for the past four years. “Activities ranged from hosting an open house at the Coosa River Nature Center, to maintaining a wildlife garden on campus, to participation in bird surveys for the National Audubon Society. In addition, several classes from the Lower School will be visiting in the next few weeks for student presentations on arthropods.”
According to Kinney, his students have been working on projects related to the YES since the fall, and all of them have contributed in some way to the overall project. He added that he feels the YES is a good experience because it offers them the opportunity to speak in front of a large audience as well as a panel of judges.
“The scrutiny provided by the 10 judges at the YES forces students to think on their feet and apply what they have learned in the classroom, and the competitive atmosphere provides the incentive for these seniors to get involved in science,” he said.
This year’s first-place award went to Chattahoochee High School, and third-place went to Coweta County 4-H Club. Other finalists included High Meadows School, Roswell; East Coweta High School, Sharpsburg; Califf Middle School, Gray; Clifton Ridge Middle Scool, Macon; Dalton High School, Dalton; and Riverwood High School, Atlanta.
YES showcases middle and high school student-led projects that address local environmental issues. All types of projects are eligible: stream clean-ups, recycling programs, schoolyard habitat construction, environmental education and advocacy initiatives. The grand-prize winner received a cash award of $2,000. Prize money is to be used for continued or enhanced implementation of the project or to purchase materials for the school’s library or science department.
Owen Kinney’s Environmental Science class received a cash prize of $1,000 for their project, which focused on wildlife conservation through citizen science, habitat creation and environmental outreach.
“Students used knowledge gained in Georgia Natural History class to promote ecological awareness among younger students and the community at large,” said Kinney, whose classes have participatedin YES for the past four years. “Activities ranged from hosting an open house at the Coosa River Nature Center, to maintaining a wildlife garden on campus, to participation in bird surveys for the National Audubon Society. In addition, several classes from the Lower School will be visiting in the next few weeks for student presentations on arthropods.”
According to Kinney, his students have been working on projects related to the YES since the fall, and all of them have contributed in some way to the overall project. He added that he feels the YES is a good experience because it offers them the opportunity to speak in front of a large audience as well as a panel of judges.
“The scrutiny provided by the 10 judges at the YES forces students to think on their feet and apply what they have learned in the classroom, and the competitive atmosphere provides the incentive for these seniors to get involved in science,” he said.
This year’s first-place award went to Chattahoochee High School, and third-place went to Coweta County 4-H Club. Other finalists included High Meadows School, Roswell; East Coweta High School, Sharpsburg; Califf Middle School, Gray; Clifton Ridge Middle Scool, Macon; Dalton High School, Dalton; and Riverwood High School, Atlanta.
YES showcases middle and high school student-led projects that address local environmental issues. All types of projects are eligible: stream clean-ups, recycling programs, schoolyard habitat construction, environmental education and advocacy initiatives. The grand-prize winner received a cash award of $2,000. Prize money is to be used for continued or enhanced implementation of the project or to purchase materials for the school’s library or science department.
