Wednesday, March 24, 2004
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Wednesday, March 24, 2004 |
| Georgia Conservancy announces student competition All public and private middle and high school students, as well as clubs, such as 4-H and Scouts, in the Fayetteville area are invited to take part in the sixth annual Youth Environmental Symposium (YES), a statewide environmental competition sponsored by Georgia Conservancy. To take part in YES, students work together as a group to identify a local environmental issue and design and implement a project to address the issue. All types of projects are eligible and can be in various stages of implementation: stream cleanups, recycling programs, schoolyard habitat construction, environmental education, and advocacy initiatives. The Conservancy is looking for projects that make a real difference at the local level. Students may design a new initiative for YES or may build on an existing program. Last year Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta won $2,000 for a project that (1) constructed and maintained an outdoor classroom and wildlife preservation center; (2) lobbied the Georgia legislature; and (3) raised and tagged Monarch Butterflies. Darlington School in Rome took second place honors and $1,000 with a project that focused on wildlife conservation through citizen science, habitat creation, and environmental outreach. Students prepared and presented talks on North Georgia’s birds and insects to elementary and preschool classrooms. Third place and $500 went to the Coweta County 4-H Club with the students establishing an Adopt-a-Stream program in Coweta County that achieved results in both environmental advocacy and conservation. Other finalists included High Meadows School, Roswell; East Coweta High School, Sharpsburg; Califf Middle School, Gray; Clifton Ridge Middle School, Macon; Dalton High School, Dalton; and Riverwood High School, Atlanta. The deadline for submitting an entry is April 5. Again this year, Georgia Conservancy will select 10 finalists from around the state to present their projects at YES on April 30 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta. A stipend to cover transportation costs and a substitute teacher will be provided to eligible groups. At the symposium, a panel of judges, composed of professionals working in a variety of environmental fields, will determine the winners based on how well the project achieves its goals, whether students understand how their project fits in the overall picture of conservation and environmental protection, and how well they communicate their ideas. The first-place group will receive $2,000, either to enhance the implementation of the project or to purchase materials for the school’s library or science department. To obtain entry forms, teachers or students should contact Karen Garland, environmental education coordinator, at 404/876-2900, ext. 113 or kgarland@gaconservancy.org. Forms are also available at www.georgiaconservancy.org. The 2004 Youth Environmental Symposium is funded in part by the Ford Motor Company, The Fabulous Fox Theatre, Publix Super Market Charities, and Spectrum Productions. The Georgia Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible stewardship of Georgia’s air, water, and natural areas. Established in 1967, The Georgia Conservancy strives to balance the demands of social and economic progress with its commitment to protect the environment.
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