Peekskill Middle School Environmental Club Presents at Florida Symposium

Editor's Note: The following article was submitted by Laura Belfiore of the Peekskill school district.
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For more than 15 years, students from Peekskill Middle School’s Environmental Club have participated in Wheelabrator Technologies’ Symposium for Environment and Education.

This year, between April 29 and May 2, students traveled to Sunrise, Fla. to present their findings from a year’s work of academic research on climate change and its effect on our region’s weather.

"We are extremely proud of our Environmental Symposium students," said PKMS Environmental Club advisor, Scott Tabone. "They had a phenomenal presentation."

For their project, "Surviving Sandy: Ways to Stay Safe During a Major Storm,” the students created a public service announcement video about storm preparedness and informational pamphlets that were passed out in the community.

Out of the club’s 25 members, 10 seventh and eighth graders were selected to compose the “travel team” that ventured to the symposium. While in Florida, the students presented their research project in front of 200 peers from middle schools across the East Coast, as well as other educators, government officials and community members.

Club members were chosen to participate in the symposium based on their school and club meeting attendance and  their participation in the research and development of the symposium presentation. Student eligibility was also based on a written essay that was evaluated by a group of administrators, counselors and Wheelabrator representatives.

Emily Lyles, a seventh-grader, is one of the  club members who traveled to Florida. Lyles said she joined the club because she cares about the environment and thought it would be fun.

“I’ve enjoyed the hard work I put into the club,” Lyles said. “It’s really paid off.”
The club is currently made up of students in grades 6-8 and is open to any students who would like to join.

The club is designed to create awareness about local environmental topics, including: pollution, water quality, recycling, gardening, meteorology, alternative energy sources, biological studies, as well as other areas that promote understanding and preservation of the natural environment around Peekskill, NY.

In previous years the Environmental club was formerly run together by Mr. John Cooley, who advised the club for 18 years, and Ms. Sue Mahoney, who was with the club for 12 years. This year, Ms. Elizabeth Damiano, a Ceramics teacher at PKMS, and Tabone, who teaches Special Education at the school, co-advise the club. 

“Ms. Damiano and I cannot say enough how much the students enjoy being a part of this club,” Tabone said.  “We are amazed at all of the work they are able to accomplish in regard to raising environmental awareness and making a difference in the world.”

Wheelabrator regularly donates money to fund the club’s research initiatives and symposium work, and the District’s science department allocates grant funds that come from outside science organizations to help supplement the club’s activities.

In addition to the fun and educational experiences the students gained from the trip, those that participated in the Environmental Symposium now also qualify for a four-year scholarship through Wheelabrator’s partnership with Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn.  Students who choose to apply to the school can state on their application that they were participants in the Symposium, which automatically qualifies them for a scholarship to attend the university.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be a part of an organization that is so focused on having our students learn about the world by making a change in it for the better,” Tabone said. “We’re honored to have been selected as co-advisers for the club, and we’re looking forward to finishing out this year strongly with our current students, and working with new students for years to come.”