Earth Day Goes Deep For Some Portsmouth High Schoolers

Students at the high school spent Earth Day in style. From recycled art and clothing to colorful, informative posters about environmental issues, the library was transformed into an earth-friendly fair on Tuesday.

Students from a variety of science, health and art classes all participated in the show, and were proud to show off their work to fellow students throughout the day as groups of students roamed the room learning things they never knew or more about things they did.

Information was available on a wide range of alternative energy sources, including hydroelectric power, tidal energy, wind energy and solar panels, pesticides, waste and much more.

Some students completed community service projects in addition to movie posters, essays and 3-D models.

"It is interesting to learn about other kinds of energy, especially less-known ones," said Kaitlin Deyo, 16, who did her project with Devin Scott, 16, on tidal energy.

Casey Nulph, 15, did her project on wind power.

"I have heard about wind power, and I thought it would be cool to learn about it more in-depth," Nulph said. "We need to start making changes, and I though this was a good way to start changing."

Nulph said she thinks the fair is important but is just a small step. Nulph said students can take the information they learn and pass it onto their parents and the community, thus creating a chain reaction.

"There are many ways we can change the world, we just need to take the initiative," Nulph said.

One of the most striking things students learned from the fair is that 694 plastic bottles are thrown away each second in the United States.

Deyo said she has always recycled, but this fact has made her even more conscious of doing so.

This is the first year the school has done such an Earth Day Fair, but science teachers Lisa Salter and Dee Barrett hope it is not the last.

"I think it was good for kids to see other kids' projects," Salter said. "The students were really proud of their work."

She added the fair brings ideas and buzz words students hear in the news to life, and provides them an opportunity to be more knowledgeable about good things happening in terms of being a more environmentally friendly society, as well as the many negatives that are still out there.

"I believe anything we can do to raise awareness of how to better care for the planet we live on is a good thing," parent and Rye Beach Commissioner Tim Sanborn said.

May 06, 2008