Published: April 24, 2008 11:48 am            

PRIDE: Club started by students’ concern for environment

Global Warming Awareness Club

• SCHOOL: Wilson High School

• ADVISER: David Robison

• WHAT THEY’RE ABOUT: Students who want to inform the public about global warming

• WEB SITE: “regentsearthscience.com,” under the “climate crisis voices” tab



Wilson students raising global warning awareness



WILSON — “Global warming: It’s real and it’s happening now!”

That’s the first thing viewers see of an online video about global warming created by Wilson students. But it could double as the mantra of the Wilson Global Warming Awareness Club, a group of students who banded together with a concern about the environment.

“I was shocked at how many people just don’t believe in global warming,” said senior Hannah Scott. “They just don’t have the facts, so we want to raise awareness.”

The group of students approached Wilson earth science teacher David Robison in October about being the adviser for the club. Robison said he just provides support, and posts the global warming videos as well as other pieces of information on the Web site, “regentsearthscience.com,” under the “climate crisis voices” tab.

“These kids work so hard,” he said.

The video, “it’s happening now,” features people running and screaming about global warming. The video says you don’t have to panic, and then shows two girls who keep finding the words “global warming” everywhere in their house. The video finishes with a puzzle about pollution and causes of global warming and some ideas on how people can help fight it.

Robison added the site also has stories about different topics involving global warming written by students. The topics range from how global warming affects the economy, how it is affecting people and who is at fault.

The club draws in students with different talents. Ninth-grader Savannah King helped make the video “Global warming: It’s real and it’s happening now!” and wrote one of the stories, “is global warming just a natural cycle,” listed on the site.

“I like to make videos with friends, so I figured why not make one for global warming,” she said. “So I decided to do it.”

The group has talked about creating T-shirts and doing something special for Earth Day, which is April 22, and Arbor Day which is April 25. The group is also putting out recycling bins for the classrooms and doing a light bulb trade in. The club offers to take people’s old light bulbs and give them energy efficient bulbs. They also started attending town meetings and want to start a recycling program.

“We have a project we want to do, like a monument to the club,” said Molly Bloom, a Wilson junior. “We’re going to use pop cans to make a big Earth. We’re going to put a light in it too, and we’re hoping to collaborate with the technology department.”

The group wants to hold a fashion show with clothes made from recycled materials. They will also keep up with making videos and posting information online.

They may have a lot they want to do, but that’s because the Global Warming Awareness Club says there is a lot of work to do. They want to get their message out there, but sometimes they run into trouble.

“There is a lot more work to do, that sometimes is met with resentment,” Karri Kopchick, a junior, said.

Scott said people should research global warming before attacking it. Letting people know and getting information about the global warming problem out to people is a major goal for the club.

“That’s the problem, the ignorance of it,” said Bloom.

Even though it’s a pretty new group, the Wilson Global Warming Awareness Club has a lot the club wants to do. Just like the video, the club isn’t panicking about global warming, but instead doing something about it.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick

at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

        

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