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2019-20 Land & Water Challenge Winners: Middle School
Clean Green Recycling Machine
Middle School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Bednarcik Junior High School
Location: Aurora, IL
Teacher Advisor: Amy Truemper
Team: Ava Uthe, Olivette Johnson, Megan Patterson, Manya Srivastava, Denise Gutierrez, Jensie Coonradt, Makenna Iverson, Jessica Salins
According to the EPA, 75% of American waste is recyclable but only 30% ends up being recycled. Instead it ends up in landfills, polluting groundwater and releasing toxic chemicals resulting in greenhouse gasses that lead to global warming and death to aquatic life. After learning these facts, this enterprising group chose to tackle the problem by designing the Clean Green Recycling Machine, modifying a school recycling bin with a motion sensor to detect when someone actually recycles. To motivate participation, they made it a competition and added a tablet to prompt students to enter their school ID number to gain points. In addition, they: conducted a survey to determine why students were throwing away recyclable objects; consulted with a local food management expert; worked with the junior high’s environment and energy conservation teams to spread the word—creating a website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, flyers, posters, and a YouTube video; and organized several community cleanup events. After just one week of their efforts, they were proud to report that no plastic bottles or aluminum cans were thrown away and 203 were recycled. Their incentive program worked successfully; their fellow students were eager to compete for prizes and had fun interacting with the bin.
Lanternfly Levelers
Middle School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Octorara Intermediate School
Location: Atglen, PA
Teacher Advisor: Christine Gray
Team: Caleb Campbell, Nicholas Duca, Trevor Fyk, Cassidy Jeffries, Elise Kurtz, Faith Moore, Brayden
Remphrey, Grant Umble, Valerie Wakeman
The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species that came to the U.S. from Southeast Asia; it targets a variety of grapevines, fruit plants, and trees and has cost the U.S. an estimated $11.5 billion. The Levelers, many of whom live on farms, decided to explore the species as they are especially prevalent in their area, causing a loss in crop production and infesting maple trees around the school. The group’s mission: to educate citizens and help stop the spread and environmental destruction. To do that, the students researched the species and its effect, contacting experts at local, state, and federal organizations; collected and studied the insects; conducted experiments both inside and outside school; and created community outreach via a website and video, Twitter, Facebook, and local newspapers and news stations. They also shared their research with experts at the Penn State University Department of Entomology, the Penn State Extension, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The group plans to publicize their findings at upcoming community events and via Skype with other schools and students around the country.
Aqua Leaders
Middle School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Assumption Regional Catholic School
Location: Galloway, NJ
Teacher Advisor: Patricia Naples
Team: Anastasia, Isabella, Mackenzie, Owen, Steven (no last names on entry)
For years people have believed that the water in their homes, schools, and communities is safe for consumption. The Aqua Leaders were skeptical, and they set out to study the water quality in NJ schools to determine if there is a relationship between the socioeconomic factors of a school district and the quality of their water and lead contamination; if the quality of water in private schools is comparable to the quality of water in public schools in the same area; if there is a simple and inexpensive method for students to test the water they are drinking; and ways to educate their community, especially new parents and parents of young children, about the developmental and long-term effects of lead exposure. The team worked with researchers at Rutgers University Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI) to find out how to investigate water quality. After collecting water samples from schools in South Jersey districts, the team sent them to EOHSI for analysis. They then worked with a statistics professor at Stockton University to learn how to analyze their water-collection data. Their conclusion: Socioeconomic status and lead presence are significantly related. The group developed an educational pamphlet on the possible health hazards of lead exposure, and will be distributing it at school and community events throughout the year. They are currently preparing a presentation for Camden Diocese Schools and NJ state officials. The students have also been contacted by The Press of Atlantic City to discuss their project.
The Aqua Squad
Middle School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
PS #28 Christa McAuliffe School
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Teacher Advisors: Christopher Brown, Robert O’Donnell
Team: Daphne Smith, Nathan Phoolchan, Mia Smallwood, Marco Sanchez, Miley Parada, Giuseppe Pizza
Duckweed is an invasive flowering plant, native to the northern and Midwestern parts of the U.S. It can sometimes be dangerous when people mistake it for grass when it covers the surface of a body of water. The Aqua Squad decided to show how to be cautious around it, but also prove that this plant can be useful too. They studied duckweed intensively , contacting research professionals all over the U.S. They then created lesson plans for fourth and fifth grade classes on how it grows and raised awareness for the plant by starting multiple social media accounts, using Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and other outlets. Their outreach paid off; professors from Rutgers, Michigan State, and more started following them and their efforts, offering advice and encouragement. When the team discovered duckweed is high in protein, the students grew cultures of it and conducted cooking experiments; their tilapia at school loved it! Through additional testing, they learned it can be a natural filtration and cleaner in aquarium tanks. They plan to continue their research and hope that duckweed can at some point be converted into a food source for people.
Magnolia STEM Scholars
Middle School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Magnolia STEM Scholars
Hutto Middle School
Location: Bainbridge, GA
Teacher Advisor: Tiffany Rambo
Team: Neal Busby, Demarion Cooper, Yarissa Green, Kanaziayonia Jackson, Caroline Maxwell, Patricia Oliver, Jada Sanders, Courtney Sapp, Kaylie Sims, Tavarius Veal
When the Magnolia STEM Scholars found out that their local county had stopped recycling plastic in May, they were determined to do something about it. They wanted to stop the flow of plastic into landfills, waterways, and parks. The team planned a community outreach program to inform the public as well as a system to control the amount of plastic being used and tossed by the student body. The students submitted an article to the local Bainbridge paper, The Post Searchlight, to share research info, concerns, and solutions. They designed a website and created an Instagram account to share research and recycling tips and published and distributed flyers throughout the school campus. In addition, the group constructed a DIY vertical garden utilizing discarded plastic bottles, and organized a student-designed shirt fundraiser; proceeds will be used to purchase new drinking fountains that will allow students and faculty the ability to easily refill reusable drinking bottles. Next steps: working with other schools in the area to join the effort for new drinking fountains; meeting with bank officials about potential sponsorships; and talking to the city’s waste management director about transporting plastic to a recycling plant in Tallahassee.
Soil Savoirs
Middle School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Dallas Environmental Science Academy
Location: Dallas, TX
Teacher Advisor: Ernest Barlow
Team: Ailyn, Mayra, Amy, Kylaa, Adrian, Roberto, Elliott, Jael (no last names on entry)
This team aimed to raise awareness about soil contamination caused by big companies’ poor waste-management strategies. When the group learned their school was a half-mile away from a location that used to be a superfund site (U.S. land that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and identified by the EPA as a cleanup candidate because of its risk to human health and the environment), they decided to test the pH levels of the soil around their houses and the school. The students also created flyers and posters about composting, designed and constructed plans for a robot that makes the soil-testing process easier and more efficient, and implemented a compost plan at their school and others in the area. Their theory did check out; soil in nearby homes had very high pH levels. Though still in progress, the students will compile evidence and results from their composting project, then spread the word around the district to convince more schools to have a similar program and let the kids be responsible for it. Their ultimate goal: to teach students valuable skills and knowledge about helping the environment. They also plan to reach out to the EPA Region 6 and compare their methods of extracting contaminants from the soil to the EPA’s.
The Amazon Firesticks
Middle School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Hyde Park Middle School
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Teacher Advisor: Robin Hill
Team: Angelica Rucker, Brianna Sagastume, Chloe Lim, Christopher Lee, Daiki Komada, Landon Tsang, Mia Kang, Nayan Gururaj, Veda Vikram
With the number of forest fires on the rise, The Amazon Firesticks decided to fight this ongoing problem with a way to get help to the scene faster, before the blaze gets out of control. They devised a plan that would use an active Terra satellite to detect the fires. This satellite will immediately send a signal to its location using GPS coordinates to a drone stationed nearby. The drone would receive the information on a developing wildfire, which would in turn activate the drone to fly to the site and drop a fire-extinguisher bomb to put out or contain the fire before it becomes too big. They modeled their solution using a drone and a balloon: The GPS coordinates of the drone represented the GPS signal that the satellite would send about the location of the fire. The pressing of a button activated a dropper to send out the electronic signals of the satellite to the drone for when and where to drop. They filled the balloons with three different combinations of air, monoammonium phosphate, and water. The model was moderately successful containing very small amounts of fire, and the group hopes to expand the experiment further. The team got the word out about their idea and the dangers of escalating wildfires via posters, brochures, making a video and posting it on YouTube, and creating an Instagram account and website.
Fanplastics H2.0
Middle School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Olympus Junior High School
Location: Holladay, UT
Teacher Advisor: JoAnne Brown
Team: Zack Allred, Julia Bennett, Emily Berkson, Nevyn Brown, Eleanor Delaney, Grace Taylor
This team chose to address the pressing issue of microplastics (tiny degraded strings/particles of plastic waste) because of the way they affect everyone’s daily lives, especially in Utah, where freshwater is in limited supply. If the water gets contaminated, the microplastic particles increase in concentration, increasing the probability of many diseases, including cancer. To help prevent human ingestion of these deadly waste particles, the Fanplastics designed an activated carbon block (ACB) filter that can be built and used at home. After many early prototypes, the final product ended up being made out of activated carbon, clean sand, aluminum mesh, and coffee filters. The team layered these components together, in both a polyvinyl chloride container and a recycled plastic water bottle, to make a fully functional water filter that can eliminate nearly 100% of observable microplastics, using a microscope to count. They spread knowledge through a website, Instagram, and Facebook, and also created a YouTube video explaining the huge problem that microplastics are posing to animals and humans. By educating those in their community about this problem, the students helped people recognize the growing threat plastic waste constitutes and understand its lasting environmental impact.
2019-20 Land & Water Challenge Winners: High School
The Bee Boys
High School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
The Bee Boys
Parkway North High School
Location: St. Louis, MO
Teacher Advisor: Karen LaFever
Team: Nevan Garner, Christopher Lau, Mason Andrews, Max Evets, Caden Huffines, Josh Mueller, Lorenzo Prila
Pollinators are among the most important living organisms to humans because of their involvement in agriculture and plant reproduction. However, bees—one of the main pollinators—have a rapidly declining population. To protect ecosystems around the globe, bee populations must be more stable and diverse. The Bee Boys made it their mission to discover and distribute ways to both maintain and repair these populations in their community. They talked to local beekeepers for advice, learned about local species and hives, and designed and built a regular plywood hive for social bees and a “bee hotel” for solitary species. The team gathered materials to use in presentations to local elementary schools to spread awareness about bee population problems and educate students, teaching them about what is happening to bees and how they can build their own bee hotel to help. They also presented their research to five science classes in their high school.
Ursula Upcyclers
High School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
St. Ursula Academy
Location: Toledo, OH
Teacher Advisor: Jackie Kane
Team: Sarah Brown, Madelyn Jeffery, Hannah Jeffery, Veronica Eichbauer, Ellie White
Northwest Ohio has many different environmental waste materials that pose a significant problem due to their large quantities, regulated disposal, and unusual properties. These products are Zebra Mussel shells, dredged sediment, leaf litter, and manure. The Upcyclers aimed to address all four of these waste products by repurposing each material into a single soil product—an efficient and affordable upcycled soil to help the local environment. They designed a soil composition with an ideal carbon-to-nitrogen ratio using the four ingredients. The group worked with Dr. Anita Simic Milas from Bowling Green State University to determine plant health and analyze soil with remote sensing. The team raised awareness by organizing outreach to 200 eighth graders to help them understand the problem; contacted 30 academic, professional, governmental, and environmental groups; and used newsletters, social media, a video, and a website to spread the word about their findings. The team also appeared on local TV news and radio programs, and worked with experts from the University of Toledo, The Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University, Heidelberg University, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Toledo City Council, the Great Lakes Commission, and Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.
Turtle Trackers
High School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Arlington High School
Location: LaGrangeville, NY
Teacher Advisors: Tricia Muraco, Maribel Pregnall
Team: Phoebe Anderson, James Ball, Matthew Huang, Rina Lewick, Keshav Ramji, Kyra Watts
The Turtle Trackers decided to address the decline of the local Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) population, a federally endangered species. New York State has labeled the Blanding’s turtle as threatened since 1983. Though there have been local efforts to protect the species, there is little awareness of the extinction risk that they face. Losing these turtles will significantly alter the current wetland ecosystem, resulting in a loss of biodiversity. Over seven months, the Turtle Trackers reached out to turtle-research centers to gain more knowledge, and worked in natural and man-made mitigation wetlands to protect the turtles as well as increase their numbers by monitoring hatchlings and nests. In May and June, they tracked adult female turtles every night, following their locations to see if they were nesting. If one was nesting, they would stay for several hours, until she completed laying all of her eggs. Afterward, they placed a cage over the nest to protect it from predators. Then they collected physical data and tracked the hatchlings’ progress. They got the word out about their project by actively posting on social media (they now have more than 340 followers); an article about the team was published in Hudson Valley Parent magazine, reaching 200,000 people in the community. The group also taught classes at Overlook Elementary School and asked fellow high school students to take a pledge to help; more than 300 have pledged so far.
Finding Nano
High School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Jericho Senior High School
Location: Jericho, NY
Teacher Advisor: Serena McCalla
Team: Catherine Kim, Katherine Zhang, Harrison Kane, Riya Patel, Maya Yu, Janice Rateshwar, Audrey Zhong
When this team found out that 61% of NY waterways are contaminated with unregulated, likely carcinogenic contaminants, such as 1-4 dioxane, pesticides, and heavy metals, the students felt the need to study wastewater treatment and create more efficient options. They learned that fracking contaminates water supplies and produces toxic wastewater, which is expensive and hard to treat or dispose of, and that monitoring water quality is necessary to avoid fracking’s adverse health impacts. They reached out to local officials about current Long Island water-treatment policies as well as the Jericho Water Department about the limitations of local water-treatment plants. After researching the issue, they created a sustainable ultrafiltration membrane using nanocellulose and also designed “FrackTrack”: a new app for residents to monitor water quality. The app detects fracking contaminants and alerts people not to use tap water when the concentrations are above EPA-regulated levels. The students also raised and donated funds to two collaborating environmental organizations to help improve water quality on a global scale: the Water Project, which provides lifetime clean water access to sub-Saharan African communities; and Earthworks, which provides funding for clean energy to decrease fracking and minimize pollution. The team used extensive outreach to share their message, including educational YouTube videos; a website; daily blog posts explaining the local and global impacts of fracking; various forms of social media; and participation in local events educating community members about ways to reduce their water footprint. They also demonstrated filtration experiments with filter paper, sand, and water to teach middle school students about membrane technology and water, and went on radio station 106.1 WBLI to air a PSA about LI water pollution and encourage cleanup support.
Chat Up the Hooch
High School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Jasper County High School
Location: Monticello, GA
Teacher Advisors: Bonnie Garvin, Elizabeth Proctor
Team: Tionna Clowers, Nykeria Greene, Spencer Hamblin, Kedarius Hill, Gavin Jacobs, Julia Proctor, Zion Weise
This resourceful group learned that: 80% of Atlanta’s water comes from the Chattahoochee River—one of the smallest rivers serving a major city; there is a moratorium on drilling wells in South Georgia; and that Georgia’s water issues are not an official part of state educational standards. In addition, they discovered 2019 data that showed Atlanta at the medium-to-high water stress level, which means the state of Georgia needs to prevent a water crisis. They decided to take action. Their answer: education. They predict that, in the next decade, water rights between Georgia, Florida, and Alabama are going to be a hot topic in the court system. Their theory: If students are educated about water issues in school, then they will be more involved with creating water-usage solutions and conservation efforts to prevent future shortages. The educational system in Georgia does not specifically address how water rights are determined. The team felt that students need to be better informed about local water issues and how water is divided. After searching Georgia standards, the students concluded that this topic could be easily taught in Science and Social Studies curriculums for second, third, fourth, sixth, and eighth grade classes. The team strove to teach younger students the background of water issues in their state, featuring historical information about the Tri-State Water Wars, the basis of much of the current problem. They used Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to get the word out about their research and the classes they visited. They prepared educational materials and had them translated into Spanish so teachers could inspire English Language Learners to participate too.
Central Recycles
High School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Central Magnet School
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Teacher Advisor: Marc Guthrie
Team: Isabelle Hamby, Brian Son, Emma Kate Hamby, Bella Goodnight, Aaron Guthrie
In Davidson County, 1.2 million tons of waste was produced in 2016; only 25% of that waste was recycled. In county landfills, 66% of the trash was able to be recycled but wasn’t. After the group learned those facts, it became clear to the Central Recycles team that throughout middle Tennessee, residents are impacting local waterways and, inevitably, the ocean. In the students’ community, single-use plastic is common, and awareness about recycling options is limited. Therefore, the group chose to help its community reduce plastic use, specifically targeting single-use and soft plastics. They created a campaign to educate students and citizens about plastic pollution in local water systems and started a recycling club to raise recycling awareness. In addition, they spoke with local stores about changing wasteful plastic habits and adding ways to educate their customers via displays and new bag designs. In addition, team members: established a partnership with Plastic Free Tennessee for river cleanup events and spread awareness at the Urban Runoff 5K Race and Water Quality Festival in Nashville. The recycling club has also been busy educating fellow students on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics. They set up containers to collect both soft and hard plastics, partnering with Trex and launching a soft-plastic recycling competition; Trex will repurpose the recycled plastic into a bench for the school. The team put “dos and don’ts” signs above the recycling and garbage bins; passed out reusable water bottles to club members; and participated in trash pickups (students received service hours for participation). The team also spread the word using Instagram and by creating a website.
Conservation Catalysts
High School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Mountain Heights Academy
Location: West Jordan, UT
Teacher Advisors: Lora Gibbons, Amy Pace
Team: Alexander Atkinson, Gavin Grose, Kate Larson, Kate Watson, Kristina Watson
Utah’s freshwater supplies are suffering from water-quality problems, which in turn affects the amount of freshwater available for use. The state’s largest body of freshwater, Utah Lake, has several types of pollution problems. One of the biggest is eutrophication, which can lead to harmful algae blooms. Utah Lake has become so highly concentrated with algal blooms and other parasitic organisms, it is no longer safe to swim there or participate in other recreational activities. In addition, Cyanobacteria, which causes Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), are very common in this environment. The Catalysts took on this issue because they believe everyone in the state is responsible for freshwater quality and health. HABs mainly get out of hand when excess nutrients find their way into the water. These nutrients come from nitrogen- and phosphorus-based fertilizers, grass clippings, yard waste, pet waste, and other products that leak into the waterways. The students felt that it was their responsibility to protect and spread awareness about conserving clean water. After extensive research, the team: spearheaded a schoolwide event to educate students, the administration, and parents and present their action plan; created social media messages to post on school Instagram and Facebook accounts; passed out brochures to the school board, administration, and students; wrote letters and emails; contacted environmental organizations; created a website to document all research and house all digital information; brainstormed with Kari Malkovich, a member of the Utah Lake Committee and a city council member; and set up an educational event at Brigham Young University to continue their outreach.
Salton Sea Pollution Patrol
High School- Land & Water Challenge Winner
Holtville High School
Location: Holtville, CA
Teacher Advisor: Bonnie Sorenson
Team: Amelie Strahm, Leonela Gonzalez, Kayla Nunez, Abigail Garewal, Andree Rodriguez, Hadley Guillen, Ella Hoyt
The Salton Sea is around 50 miles away from Holtville and is creating a major health crisis for residents of the Imperial Valley. Without a continuous source of freshwater, the Salton Sea is drying up at drastic rates, which is causing severe health problems for surrounding areas. The Salton is filled with agricultural runoff, and therefore has many toxins within its water and soil. Once the man-made sea starts to dry up, the wind picks up and carries the toxic soil particles to nearby communities. These particles can embed in the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and are known to cause asthma and other respiratory illnesses, including lung cancer. Eleven years ago, a group of students from Holtville High School performed an experiment on the sea, so the Pollution Patrol team wanted to check on it and compare results to see how the Salton Sea has changed over time and uncover the severity of pollution there now. The team visited the Salton Sea State Recreation Area and collected a sample of the water for testing in the lab with a water distillation device. They tested the nitrogen, phosphorus, pH, and other chemical levels within the collected water, and verified their results with an outside lab. In comparing their results of contamination with those of the prior group, this process revealed that the Salton Sea water sample currently had no traces of nitrogen or phosphorus, amazing when compared to results from 11 years ago, when nitrogen levels were 77 mg/L. However, overall, the group learned that the Salton Sea water has changed drastically in other ways over this time period. The students got the word out about their research through the school’s Sustainability Through Environmental Practices & Solutions (STEPS) Club, which works to increase awareness about environmental issues and changes.
2018-19 Final Challenge Winners
Food Miles Matter
Middle School- Grand Prize Winner
North Broward Preparatory School
Location: Coconut Creek, FL
Team: Camila Pallidino, Isabela Wiley, Maddie Sage, Ryan Folic, Nate Harmelin, Grant Fawcett, Hayden Simmons
Guided by teacher advisor Hope Kennedy, Food Miles Matter tackled the problem of global warming. When their research showed that car and truck exhaust contributes to the problem—because the exhaust produces greenhouse gases that get trapped in our atmosphere—the team got to work on a solution: reducing the number of miles required to truck in their cafeteria’s supplies, a.k.a. the food miles! To offset the impact, they worked to create new food sources closer to home and replace fresh produce with that grown in their own school garden. The students partnered with cafeteria staff to grow and donate food that would be the most useful. To achieve their goal, the group studied and implemented a range of gardening techniques, from traditional fertilization to rockwool soil alternatives, hydroponics and vertical aeroponic towers. They also organized a school awareness campaign that included YouTube videos and tutorials about the project and presentations in four classrooms. Across their community, they spread the word via a website, social media outlets and local media outreach.
For the final challenge, the team strove to broaden their reach to other students and schools around the world. The group employed tools like FaceTime and Skype to connect with students around the globe and educate them about the Food Miles problem and solutions they identified. To date, they have been in touch with students at 86 schools in 30 states and 8 countries, and have built relationships with three national nonprofit organizations. Their efforts have also been recognized by the Sun Sentinel newspapers, Coconut Creek TV news, and Spectator magazine.
Aquapals
High School- Grand Prize Winner
Arlington High School
Location: Lagrangeville, NY
Team: Emmanuelle Magliato, Spencer Koonin, Jacob Gaines, Krishna Koka, Tyler Locke, Shannon Gibson
The Aquapals decided to address persistent organic pollutant (POP) contamination in the Hudson River because of its many detrimental public and environmental health impacts on their surrounding community. With the help of teacher advisors Maribel Pregnall and Tricia Muraco, the students concentrated on a class of POPs known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which bioaccumulate throughout the food chain and collect in fish eaten by many in their local community. They created an aquaponics system to act as a model to show how uncontaminated food can be produced sustainably.
For the final challenge, the group focused on the interconnected issues that PCB contamination causes, not only in their community but throughout the world. Close to home, they have established five of their own aquaponics systems locally; presented their findings and project to 25 Dutchess County legislators; and educated more than 1,000 K-12 students, alumni, and faculty through presentations and reached 71,000 readers on Twitter, 8,000 views on Spectrum TV, 450 viewers on YouTube and 1,450 on Instagram. They reached additional audiences by working with local media outlets to reach households in the surrounding area, including 100,000 through the Poughkeepsie Journal, 20,500 through the Arlington Communicator, and 2,500 through Radio Kingston.
Globally, they have reached and collaborated with aspiring aquaponic farmers by sending “aqua-care” packages to farmers in countries on two continents (Kenya, Morocco and Indonesia); sharing their 35-page manual with 14 farmers in eight countries; and sending three farmers on three continents their research and data. The grand total: 213,760 people reached through social media and the news; 1,020 students and faculty, and community members directly educated; 715 political statements made, via petitions, blog posts, and letter-writing campaigns; and research presented to more than 500 students and community members at the district STEM Fair, creating an opportunity for wide future collaboration.
Bagstreet Boys
Middle School- First Prize Winner
School for the Creative and Performing Arts
Location: Lexington, KY
Team: Shayda Alsalihi, James Cook, Violet Ferguson, Marianne Gebb, Nora Mack, Sofia Wu, Jayden Young
After learning about the negative environmental effects of single-use plastic bags, the Bagstreet Boys and their teacher advisor Ashlie Arkwright came up with a solution: upcycle single-use plastic bags into reusable tote bags. In round one, they focused on their school community, collecting 1,325 plastic bags and reducing landfill waste. They sold 14 reusable bags at school events, raising $121 for Bluegrass Greensource, a Lexington, KY–based sustainability nonprofit. Their project inspired 126 of their classmates at the School for the Creative and Performing Arts to sign a pledge to begin plastic-bag recycling, reducing those family’s plastic bag use by an estimated 52,520 per year.
For the final challenge, the team continued its mission of bag collection and upcycling, educated parents and students at school events, and partnered with Lafayette High School’s Environmental Club to raise more local awareness. The group visited an elementary school’s district science fair, distributed their brochures, and taught youngsters about upcycling. They helped the kids create mini reusable bags and obtained 50 more student pledges to “reduce, reuse, and recycle” their plastic bags. In addition, the team increased its support for Bluegrass Greensource by holding a charity raffle for a signature upcycled bag; hosting a workshop to teach adults how to upcycle; and collaborating with Greencheck to expand their bag-collection efforts to five new locations.
For their efforts, the team was honored at a University of Kentucky basketball game in front of a sold-out crowd of 24,456 people as an Everyday Hero, a program created to recognize people who are making a positive impact in the community. The group was also acknowledged by the state senate and in many local media outlets, including on radio, TV stations, and local newspapers. The final result: The team collected 7,460 single-use plastic bags over the course of the Final Challenge, which, when added to the 1,325 bags collected in round one, totaled 8,785 plastic bags. By increasing the lifespan of the collected bags via upcycling, the team reduced the need for increased production of plastic bags, ultimately decreasing their area’s dependence on fossil fuels.
The Arboga Wild Fighters
Middle School- First Prize Winner
Arboga Elementary School
Location: Olivehurst, CA
Team: Brayden Walker, Mary Banach, Mary Campos, Diana Castelo, Lucy Merrill, Samantha Chittenden, Savannah Metzger, Joseph Kelly, and Naly Vue
In round one, The Arboga Wild Fighters studied the history of how California’s wildfires have devastated the state, leaving thousands to rebuild their lives and homes, destroying the natural habitat of animals and plants and releasing dangerous levels of toxic smoke into the air. Guided by teacher advisor Debbie Jones, the team educated their community by organizing school assemblies to inform students about the dangers of wildfires and how to prevent them; bringing in local firefighters to explain the effects of deforestation; distributing flyers with information on how to avoid backyard burning in windy conditions and other precautions; and organizing a group to execute a local cleanup to remove fire-starting trash from public areas.
For the final challenge, the team stepped up their environmental efforts and invited a guest speaker from the Yuba County Office of Emergency to explain how to react when a disaster strikes and the importance of preparedness. They reached out to another area school to share their information on global warming, forest fires, and drought, and the resulting pollution, loss of biodiversity, species extinction, and deforestation. After discussing how their community was affected by the wildfires in Paradise, they became local advocates and volunteers; conducting interviews with their local news and radio stations; planning a lunch for Paradise victims; distributing flyers with information on the effects of these calamitous fires; and spreading the word on Facebook and other social media outlets.
Fanplastics
Middle School- First Prize Winner
Olympus Junior High School
Location: Holladay, UT
Team: Grace Taylor, Nevyn Brown, Zack Allred, Julia Bennett, Eleanor Delaney, Emily Berkson
Plastic is the third-largest U.S. industry, producing up to 300 million tons of plastic (500 billion water bottles) each year, out of which only 23% is recycled. This means that annually around 38 billion bottles go to landfills or the ocean. Plastic takes 450 years to degrade and during that time can kill countless endangered marine animals, hinder the growth of plants and animals, and infiltrate our water and soil, harming respiratory systems and crops. In the Fanplastics’ first project, led by teacher advisor JoAnne Brown, the team chose to address the negative effects of air and plastic pollution.The students set out to find ways to tie plastics recycling to the production of renewable energy. Their solution? They built a wind turbine from plastic water bottles that could charge a cell phone, reducing both landfill contributions and pollutants emitted by traditional energy sources.
For the final challenge, the group created a tool kit to distribute to other students in their community to learn about and create their own turbines. They partnered with Vivint Solar, one of the largest solar companies in North America, to help fund the creation of the kits. The team’s kit provided all the materials and instructions necessary to create a turbine powerful enough to power a battery with enough voltage to charge multiple cell phones. The team used and distributed the kits locally in teacher-requested project presentations to other local elementary schools and the Boy Scouts. The team also extended their reach around the country and the world, sharing their instructional videos through a new website, Instagram and Facebook. After Vivint Solar posted their videos to their LinkedIn account, the videos got more than 3,000 views! Vivint Solar’s David Bywater told the team that he was so inspired by their work, he plans to ban plastic-water-bottle use at the 3,000-employee company.
CO2 A.P.T.
Middle School- First Prize Winner
P.S. 28 Christa McAuliffe School
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Team: Lorelei Barrett, Jayden Colon, Jennifer Hoffer, Lianna Liranzo, Juver Nuesi, Briana Zapet
In round one, C02 A.P.T. (which stands for Carbon Dioxide and Air Pollution Terminators), created custom technology designed to reduce C02 and air pollution and increase tree count in their school and the surrounding Jersey City community. The group, led by teacher advisors Christopher Brown and Joel Naatus, created a prototype called C.D.A.P.T. (which stands for Carbon Dioxide Air Pollution Terminator) that reduces levels of the amount of CO2 and air pollution; gained knowledge about the best trees in their urban area; used 3D technology and incorporated it into their C.D.A.P.T.; collected a variety of shrubs and tree cuttings to grow aquaponically; recorded a podcast with the school’s YouTube account (Challengers Podcast 28) that discusses the team’s topic; developed a partnership with the Jersey City Parks Coalition; taught more than 100 students about the project, explaining the dangers of CO2 and air pollution; and hung posters around the school to raise awareness about the project.
For the final challenge, the team expanded their efforts and developed a second prototype (C.D.A.P.T. 2.0); placed the prototype outside of their school in an area with poor air quality (school bus stop); bought a device (Atmotube 2.0) that measures air quality and tested it in various areas around the school to determine air filtration needs; tested the air quality in various areas outside the school to determine the best location for the C.D.A.P.T. 2.0; and received permission from Mory Thomas to construct the prototype outside his restaurant (Square1) in a heavily populated area of Jersey City. Construction began in mid-March. In addition, they contacted MetLife’s president to advocate planting more trees around MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ; successfully grew a variety of plants aquaponically in the school’s greenhouse and identified placement positions outside the building; started construction of a Nature Exploratory Area (N.E.A.) at their school; received a Jersey City Board of Education Achievement Award; and were featured in an article in the Jersey Journal and on NJ.com. They also started working on a patent for the C.D.A.P.T.!
BioBucs
High School- First Prize Winner
Hoover High School
Location: Birmingham, AL
Team: Andrew Gelderman, Abhinav Gullapalli, Christian Pegouske, Christian Lam, Elise Collins, Amagee Sims
Industrial air pollution is a huge problem, especially 2.5 and 10 micrometer fine particles, which have been known to cause a multitude of health problems affecting the human body. After learning these facts, the BioBucs and their teacher advisor Dr. Janet Ort set out to try to raise awareness about particle pollution by partnering with GASP, a clean air and healthy community advocacy group. The team used GASP’s monitors to collect pollution data, and connected with Dr. Ort’s Southern Research (SR) STEM Fellowship to help them see how industrial sources and heavy traffic routes affect air pollution.
For the final challenge, the group expanded their research. SR experts suggested additional inexpensive sensors that communicate by cellular signal, to make them more accessible for use. After a development process, the BioBucs were able to stabilize the sensors and replicate GASP maps, proving that they could now use the new sensors as effectively as the group’s first version. The result: SR sensors are multiplatform, eliminate dependency on phones, and are less expensive. The team gathered enough data from these new sensors to produce and enter UAB CORD CARSEF, a highly competitive science fair, where they received the “Taking the Pulse of the Planet” Award by the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for their research. With the additional knowledge that trees greatly reduce particle pollution, sequester carbon, and save energy (as seen by the National Tree Benefit Calculator), the group focused on planting more trees in the most efficient way possible. Luckily, the Hoover school system had been included in the Hoover Urban Forestry Department’s Arbor Day tree plantings for years. The BioBucs decided to map all of the known Arbor Day trees in the Hoover area, enlisting the help of local elementary and middle schools. This map will be accessible to all Hoover City Schools staff and students through a new website, which will help track tree’s growth information for the future. The students will be able to use the data captured to calculate long-term growth and determine the anticipated sequestration of carbon and other particles. This map will grow as new trees are planted every year, creating a continuing environmental research program: The participating schools each have approximately 600 students; each year they will record data about the trees to determine CO2 sequestration and growth stats to add to the ongoing school-system-wide Arbor Day Citizen Science project.
Special STEMS
High School- First Prize Winner
Lebanon Trail High School
Location: Frisco, TX
Team: Michelle Briceno,Taj Diltz, Kiavash Kashanian, Moses Lin, Kayln Love, Shelby Luhring, Maggie McGrath, Zoe McKnight, Malcolm Oliviera, Zachary Siegel
In round one, the Special STEMS team, comprised of 5 students from their school’s Functional Academics special needs program and 5 general education students, set out to prove that anyone, regardless of disability, can be a leader in their community and make vital contributions toward sustainability. Taking an agricultural approach, the team set out to prove that it’s possible to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, cut down on food packaging and reduce landfill waste, soil erosion, and air pollution. Approaching their mission with help from teacher advisor Pam Carpenter, the group planted and harvested vegetables, fruits, and herbs at the Frisco community garden; hosted a fresh produce drive to create nutritional awareness; and started a vegetable garden project in Guatemala and seed projects in Uganda for needy families. They also used Twitter to communicate and update their message of local agriculture’s environmental benefits; conducted polls; filmed videos; and started dialogues with city leaders, community groups, and local nonprofits to create partnerships and support.
For the final challenge, the Special STEMS wanted to make sure their project would have a lasting impact. The students established the means for the Functional Academics classes at all 10 participating local high schools to access their community garden and outdoor classroom long after the team has graduated, through the community partnerships and inclusive experience they’ve nurtured while continuing to help the environment. Through local and national shout-outs on syndicated radio programs and continual meetings with local and state lawmakers, they pushed their message forward while putting a dent in greenhouse gas emissions. They educated their peers and created connections in Stockholm, Sweden, to collaborate on eliminating food waste internationally.
S.U.N (Storing Underground Nutrients)
High School- First Prize Winner
Parkway North High School
Location: Creve Coeur, MO
Team: Sydney King, Varun Shenoy, Joseph Kang, Vanessa Lawrie, Luis Schneegans
Storing Underground Nutrients (or S.U.N) tackled the problem of how fertilizer production negatively impacts climate. When fertilizer is mass-produced to meet agricultural needs, massive amounts of fossil fuels are burned, releasing harmful gases into the atmosphere. With the help of teacher advisor William Bowman the team sought to find a suitable fertilizer alternative that would mitigate the negative effects and minimize the amount needed to provide effective nutrients for the plants. Their proposed solution: Show how biochar—charcoal produced from burnt and decaying plant matter—can be stored in soil as both a source of nutrients and a way to prevent releasing toxins, such as nitrogen, that would otherwise harm the environment. Their research showed that biochar could potentially also be used as an alternative heat and fuel source when manufactured correctly, reducing CO2 emissions—another good reason to use it instead of traditional fertilizer. In their soil samples, S.U.N. added in sawdust, which is commonly wasted and disposed of in ways that are not ecologically friendly but can be put to good use as fertilizer. Multiple tests proved their hypothesis: The soil, with the addition of the biochar-sawdust mixture, retained twice as much water, which in turn helped it retain more of the nutrients. This indicated that a mix of biochar, soil, and sawdust would help plants to absorb nutrients and grow in a faster, eco-friendly way.
For the final challenge, the team tested its biochar concept with a few modifications to the original design. Green onions were selected as a model plant because they grow rapidly and can be cut to the same length. After eight days, the data showed the direct benefit of using biochar in tandem with organic nutrient sources, such as compost. Without biochar, the trial plants with soil, compost, and sawdust did not grow as high. Team S.U.N.’s conclusion: Their mixture not only outperformed fertilizer in growth but also in water and nutrient retention. The team’s results are promising for the future and could expand sustainable farming efforts across the globe. They determined that general knowledge of biochar could even boost ecosystems devastated by California forest fires—using a combination of compost and sawdust on this land, where it already has an abundance of biochar due to the fires, could greatly improve the rate of regrowth.
Endanger Changers
High School- First Prize Winner
Peak to Peak Charter School
Location: Lafayette, CO
Team: Isabella Brakhage, Benjamin Rosen, Isha Batra, Madison Rippetoe, Luke Wolsko, Mana Setayesh, Jessica Kalloor
In Colorado, more than 30 endangered species contribute to the state’s biodiversity. For round one, the Endanger Changers made it their mission to protect these animals and work to keep them from extinction by educating their community on the importance of wildlife conservation. The students, advised by teacher Kristie Letter, created a foundation and website to illustrate the problem and how the community can help and developed interactive games for each animal to help children understand the problem too. In addition, the team created an Instagram page and an informative brochure about their quest, and partnered with the Thorne Nature Center and local organizations to help get the word out.
For the final challenge, the team expanded their quest and reached more than 2,500 students who promised to help animals; focused on the impact of STEM by creating more educational games utilizing science and technology; interacted with K–12 principals at numerous schools; designed 10 classroom lessons; and initiated a scavenger hunt activity for 375 elementary kids, with a prize to raise awareness. They also wrote a book in Spanish to educate hispanic children on the issue. The Endanger Changers were featured in The Daily Camera, a local newspaper; CBS News, on the nightly news segment; KGNU Radio; and the Kiwanis newsletter. The high schoolers reached out to state legislators, traveling to the state capitol and meeting with local representatives and senators; crafted and submitted a state proclamation—which has the potential to reach over 5.1 million people if it goes through the state legislature—to Colorado Governor Jared Polis; and got the word out via their existing social media platforms, increasing the impact of all of them. In addition, the team added new organization partners, including the Thorne Nature Center, WILD Nature Conservancy, Rocky Mountain Wild Denver Zoo and more.
