Capital Region Earth Force hosted our fifth annual Environmental Youth Summit today at Bluemont Park in Arlington. The theme of this year’s event was students taking action to explore, restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. More than 250 people attended the event, including 200 middle school students from Arlington and Alexandria, teachers, parents, partner organizations and event sponsors. Earth Force Program Manager, Jessica Bromelkamp, said, "the day was a success by all measures."
Congressman Jim Moran kicked off the event with a speech about the importance of environmental protection followed by a question and answer session for the middle school students. The student interactions with a Member of Congress are a meaningful part of this event and coincide well with the Earth Force mission of engaging youth as active environmental citizens.
The Youth Summit is also a day of education, recognition and celebration for Earth Force students. This year’s attendees had the opportunity to interact with experts from eleven organizations about watershed protection and other environmental issues. Topics covered included drinking and wastewater treatment; fuel cell and bio-diesel vehicles; Atlantic sturgeon restoration; wetland functions; invasive species; alternative energy; and much more.
The list of partner organizations included the Alexandria Sanitation Authority, Arlington County Department of Environmental Services, Calleva Outdoors, Environmental Concern, Fairfax County Water Authority, Fuel Cells 2000, General Motors, Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, Potomac Overlook Regional Park, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science/Virginia Sea Grant.
One of the highlights of the day was the selection of an exemplary student watershed improvement project. Capital Region Earth Force announced that Hammond Middle School in Alexandria was chosen as the School of the Year for their project that focused on reducing the amount of trash in their local watershed. A total of six student action projects were presented during the Youth Summit event.
The sponsors of the Youth Summit were the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Staples Foundation for Learning; and Whole Foods Old Town.