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The Teacher Training Institute at the 2008 Green
California Schools Summit included a peer-to-peer student workshop.
Participants share their commitment to the environment and the thrill of
encountering like-minded contemporaries with Green Technology readers.
Genesis Godoy
Green Ambassador
Environmental Charter High School
Walking through the doors of the Anaheim Convention Center, I was
expecting the typical conference that always turns out to be a fun and
learning experience. What I walked away with after the Green California
Schools Summit was utterly unexpected.
Being a Green Ambassador Youth Leader at Environmental Charter High
School, I was introduced to the conference through Mr. Bernard Percy from
Green Technology. He had heard all about the Green Ambassadors
organization and decided to invite four Green Ambassador Youth Leaders
including myself, to run a student workshop in which students from a
medley of grades and schools shared their ideas on what they have done to
make a difference in their schools and what environment related activities
they would like to see more of in their classrooms.
As the workshop began, my group of students was widely diversified. They
were different in class, age and backgrounds. Though, they all seemed to
have the same purpose in mind: to make a difference in the world for
planet earth and by the youth. They were all extremely intelligent and
determined leaders of their communities.
I became astounded as a fifth-grade student started discussing the various
projects he had done at his school. He explained them as thoroughly as an
eloquent businessman would explain his new idea to the corporation's
executives. He was only in the fifth grade and knew the problems that our
earth was facing. Even better, he found not only one but many solutions to
the issue. Solar panels, planting trees and recycling were just some of
the things that he mentioned without hesitating.
That moment made me believe more in what was beyond my eyes. Youth is the
future and we will make a difference. It may take months to years to make
such changes, but life is in your hands. What you make out of it is what
you get and we have the opportunity to change this planet for the better.
I became empowered by younger kids and youth of my age who were excited
and working towards becoming the leaders today and of future generations.
The full rush of inspiration is something that made the conference one of
the most memorable. It inspired me to keep on working toward changing our
world and to achieve much more. The moment I walked out the doors, I knew
that there was much more work to do and I was only at the starting line of
making a difference.
Alex Gian
Energy Club Treasurer
La Mirada High School
As concerns for the environment grow, the "Wave of the Future" Energy Club
at La Mirada High School, California, has taken concrete action to create
a greener learning environment. For one thing, we attended the Green
California Schools Summit at the Anaheim Convention Center and displayed
our own curricular ideas while at the same time receiving innovative ideas
from other green schools, individuals and organizations. I'm proud to say
that our club exhibited the centerpiece of our clean energy education, our
student-made Solar Demonstration house, affectionately called the "solar
doll house."
This "solar doll house" demonstrates a fully functioning solar electric
system, comprised of two 12-volt amorphous solar panels mounted on the
roof and a charge controller to regulate the electricity to the
appliances, either a fan or a bubble machine.
Myself, two other Energy Club officers and two teachers (our Energy Club
Advisors) fully enjoyed the many workshops and exhibits where we were
learned methods as simple as the material used to build green buildings.
I personally am very interested in environmental issues because it not
only involves helping myself, but those around me. I plan on going into
the solar industry, no matter how small that part is or what others think
or how they might criticize; I know for certain that I am doing the right
thing in contributing to the saving of our Green Earth. I have been making
it part of my personal life to make green decisions to recycle more and
change outdated and inefficient electronics. I have even convinced my
parents to invest in a solar photovoltaic system in the very near future.
As for the school, our green teachers are working overtime to provide us a
clean energy education as well as environmental studies. In spite of this
economic downturn, they continue to persevere in bringing us a bright
future. Mrs. Williamson, our Spanish teacher, and Energy Co-Advisor, is
one of the greenest teachers on campus with her fully electric, zero
emissions car, which we rode in to the summit, and a solar home, which are
both great examples to students and teachers. In addition, Mrs. Kishore is
also one of the greenest teachers as she lives green and teaches her
biology class which integrates a green curriculum.
I am Assistant-Treasurer of the Energy Club, but we are not limited by our
positions. Our club goes over and beyond, by not only attending
conventions, like the California Green Schools Summit, but also putting on
the annual "Bike, Walk to School Day" where students and staff say no to a
car commute for one day. We also conducted a "Change the Light, Change the
World" campaign (sponsored by the US Department of Energy) where we
collected over 100 signed pledges. We joined the club with the goal of
saving our planet and in addition, improving ourselves as individuals in
order to benefit society and the planet in a positive and earth friendly
manner.
I hope that in the near future that the climate crisis will be solved so
students and people will not have to suffer from the effects that are
already taking place. So that none of our children would have to deal with
these effects and are able to live lives that are integrated to helping
nature. Even if they are not conscious about what they can do to help, but
know that what they are doing is necessary. By attending the Green Schools
Summit I have done a small part in educating myself to educate others to
start living green because we shouldn't take for granted what that is not
ours.
Jessica Duran
Energy Club Public Relations Officer
La Mirada High School
About a month ago I, along with two other students Jesse Gardner and Alex
Gian and our Energy Club Co-Advisors, Mrs. Williamson and Mrs. Kishore,
attended a Green California Schools Summit at the Anaheim Convention
Center. While there we attended workshops where we were able to listen to
speakers present their ideas for introducing a new green curriculum into
our California schools.
I first became interested in environmental issues when I was my
eighth-grade science class. We were given a challenge to come up with our
own science projects and my partner and I chose to do ours on greenhouse
gases.
My research on the project led me to Global Warming and I'll be honest it
scared me. From then on I have become obsessed with the environment. I am
a junior in high school now and I am always interested in learning more
about the environment and the issues that our future generation has to
face and how we can help. So now I am a part of La Mirada High School's
Energy Club and the second eco-club, Earth Club, and I make an effort to
attend all of our environmental functions. I currently hold the position
of the press secretary of our energy club.
I hope to remain in environmental studies beyond college and to become a
major contributor in the fight against Global Warming and other
environmental challenges.
Jesse Gardner
Energy Club Vice-President
La Mirada High School
This year has been very active for our Wave of the Future Energy Club.
We did we attend the Future is Green Expo in Long Beach, California but
our club presented a slide show of our campus activities, such as our
annual "Bike, Walk to School Day".
We also attended the Green California Schools Summit in Anaheim,
California, where we learned about green technology and new and exciting
ways to become a more environmentally friendly school and individual. We
displayed our school's solar dollhouse, that is our main tool in showing
students green energy. Because of our dollhouse's popularity we were able
to meet the state superintendent, Jack O'Connell, who was the keynote
speaker for the Green Curriculum Showcase.
From a very young age I have always been taught to do my part, even before
I knew what being green was. I have recycled for as long as I can
remember, and I have always separated plastic, glass, and paper. I believe
that it became so ingrained in me because I was typically rewarded for it
by using the money from recycling to go to lunch or the movies, now the
reward is a cleaner and healthier planet for all who inhabit it.
My school is also filled with green people. Two of my teachers are major
environmentalists who are able to incorporate being green into their
teaching with much success. Both of them are able to teach about global
warming and green technology in the fields of foreign language and
biology. Our school is also the proud holder of an annual event known as
"Energy/Earth Day". On this day our campus is filled with everything from
electric cars to solar powered ovens to models of solar and hydrogen fuel
cell powered cars and houses.
This year our school is proud to offer a new eco-club known as the Wave Of
The Future Energy Club. We are a club dedicated to helping the planet, as
well as helping students find new ways to be part of the green movement.
Our goal is to help stop global warming one light switch and one car at a
time. Our club presented at the aforementioned green conferences and
provides a great setting for students to gain leadership experience. It is
also a great place to gain community service hours and to get a letters of
recommendation. We work every week to promote the cause of slowing down
global warming and spread information on climate change and the people and
animals that it affects.
In the future, I plan to do all that I can to advocate for and live a
green lifestyle. One day I hope that I can own an energy efficient house
and a zero emissions, electric car, but until that day all I can do is
live in the greenest way that I can and help other people do the same.
Until the day comes that everyone is green and climate change is slowed
down, our energy club and I will be on the front lines of the green
movement
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