Lexus Eco Challenge
The 2009 Lexus Eco Challenge, administered by Scholastic, has begun. The Eco Challenge is a nationwide educational program and contest that invites teams of five to ten students and one teacher-advisor to define an environmental issue, and develop and implement a plan to address that issue. The Challenge is made up of three categories, each with its own application period.
Registration and Action Plans for Challenge 1: Land, which specifically addresses landfills, waste management, and recycling; deforestation or desertification; and/or endangered species and the loss of biodiversity must be submitted online by Friday, October 24, 2008. Challenge 2: Water, which addresses shrinking wetlands and aquatic habitats, water conservation and freshwater shortages, and/or threats to the world's waterways and oceans, opens November 23, 2008 and closes December 12, 2008. Challenge 3: Air/Climate opens December 17, 2008, and runs through February 6, 2009. The Air/Climate challenge addresses global warming and climate change, ozone depletion, and/or fossil fuels and renewable energy.Teacher-advisors can learn more about each of these three challenges and register online by clicking here.
Celebrate Halloween with a visit to Anita Recycle at Scarecrows in the Garden
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Ms. Anita Recycle, a scarecrow created by students at New Directions School in partnership with Keep the Midlands Beautiful, won the People's Choice Award for Historic Columbia's "Scarecrows in the Garden" exhibit. Ms. Anita Recycle was made entirely of recycled materials and featured a poem promoting visitors to recycle. Click here for more information on “Scarecrows in the Garden.” |
Great Opportunity for Teaching about Hydrogen and Fuel Cells!
On Wednesday, April 1, 2009, South Carolina science teachers and their students are invited to visit the exhibits at the National Hydrogen Association convention in Columbia. There will be a large number of exhibits, but the favorite one will be the ride-and-drive event, where you will be able to see more than a dozen hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles, ride in some of them, and even drive some of them. Click here for more information, including a link to a list of resources for teaching about hydrogen and fuel cells.
Pine Ride Middle School Wins Recycling Award!
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Lexington School District Two's Pine Ridge Middle School won the Carolina Recycling Association's Outstanding School Program Award for 2008. Pine Ridge began a school wide recycling program in 2002 and because of their success, the program has been replicated at all schools within Lexington District Two and is a model for other schools throughout South Carolina. The program is student-driven, utilizing several teams of student volunteers who manage recycling collection, composting, and education. The school also purchases recycled items such as recycled tire mulch and a bench made from milk jugs and reuses items in the classroom including Styrofoam trays and cups. Left to right: Mary Pat Baldauf, Lexington County; Jane Hiller, Sonoco Recycling; Courtney Frederici, Pine Ridge MS; Kendrick Kerr, Pine Ridge MS; Kerry Krumsiek, Carolina Recycling Association |
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