CELF Houston Student Symposium 2023
Students Share their Projects with Experts and Decision-Makers
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Texas students care about the future of their environment: the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the neighborhoods where they live. At CELF's Annual Houston Student Symposium this month, students from six regional schools presented their projects aimed at creating a healthier and more sustainable future. The CELF Student Symposium is a unique forum for students to be heard and recognized by an audience of industry professionals and decision-makers. | |
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Supported by their teachers and CELF's Civic Science framework, these students have pursued scientific research and data collection--such as air quality monitoring and water quality testing--to identify and address areas for improvement in their local environment. Place-based education like this encourages students to learn about their local environment and communities and to use that knowledge to solve real-world problems.
Innovation and insight were front and center in the students research presentations:
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Shadow Creek High School (Pearland, TX) Hydroponic Farming
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Channelview High School (Channelview, TX) Air Quality along the Houston Ship Channel, Food Insecurity and Urbanization
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Empowerment High School (Houston, TX) Indoor Air Quality in Welding Class, Recycling and Food Waste
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Endeavor High School (Channelview, TX) Air Quality in the East Loop
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Lewis Middle School (Houston, TX) Indoor Air Quality Impact of Scented Hand Sanitizers, Water Quality Impacts of Air Contamination, Filters, and Water Sources
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Rio Grande City High School (Rio Grande City, TX) Water Quality from the Rio Grande River
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Keynote speaker Raquel Costa, VP of Human Resources at EDP Renewables, linked student Civic Science experiences to future career paths. Closing speaker Rahul Vijayan, a student at Alvin ISD, shared how he is introducing hydroponic farming to other schools in the region.
The CELF Houston Student Symposium 2023 was funded with support from Port Houston, Tricon, Fluor, First Reserve and Crestwood, and hosted by EDP Renewables at Hess Tower. Thanks are due, as well, to McMacCX for providing air quality monitors, Moonflower Farms for supplying hydroponic starter kits, and to Engie for sponsoring lunch.
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"The ideas and research you all shared today have inspired us and shown us that, when we decide to take a more critical look at the world around us, and apply scientific inquiry to increase our understanding of the interconnections among the environmental, economic, and social systems, we can take that learning and use it to make more informed choices to protect the future health of our communities and our planet." - CELF Executive Director Tara Stafford Ocansey | |
Are you interested in linking student-driven science inquiry to local community and civic engagement at your school or district? | |
The New York 2023 Virtual Student Symposium is coming in May/June. Would your NY, NJ, or CT school like to participate? Would you like to be a sponsor? Let us know! | |
At Lantrip Elementary School, Younger Students Get To Showcase Their Projects | |
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Elementary school students also had the chance to proudly share their research and projects this month with adult decision makers. Lantrip Elementary School, an Environmental Science magnet school, hosted its Gifted and Talented (G/T) Student Showcase with participants from all grades K-5.
CELF has supported Education for Sustainability at the school for the past three years including professional learning for teachers, as well as Green Careers speaker series and outdoor experiences for students. It is immensely rewarding for all involved to see students so vividly demonstrate what they have learned.
CELF's work at Lantrip ES is supported by the HISD Foundation and Tricon.
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Upcoming Events in the New York Region | |
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Save the Date!
Teacher Appreciation Celebration in Stamford, CT
April 26th at 4:30-6:00pm
Join the Mill River Park Collaborative and CELF to celebrate, reflect and show gratitude to teachers. Toast to the final home stretch of the school year! Registration details coming soon.
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Attention Brooklyn Residents
Participatory Budget Vote, March 25-April 2
CELF is on the ballot for NYC District 39's Participatory Budgeting Initiative. Do you live in or go to school in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Waterfront, Gowanus, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, or Kensington? Are you age 11 or older? Then you can vote on how to spend $1.5 million on Climate Justice Projects to improve your community, regardless of your citizenship or voter registration status.
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CELF is seeking a Communications and Development Manager who has 3+ years of communications experience, ideally in an in-house leadership role within a fast-growing nonprofit, and covering areas such as event marketing, donor communications, social media, website content, and newsletters.
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Summer Internships
CELF is recruiting summer interns to join our dynamic teams in the New York Metro Region and Greater Houston. CELF interns gain a diverse set of meaningful experiences and relevant skills that apply to a broad range of areas of study, from Communications and Education, to Environmental Science and Public Policy.
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