Climate education group visits Classical

LYNN – The Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) visited Lynn Classical High School Tuesday for the second time.ACE is dedicated to educating America’s youth about the science of climate change and how to make a difference in preserving the earth and its resources.Through an interactive audio/video presentation, ACE speaker Alan Palm alerted students about the state of our planet and what the consequences of burning fossil fuels at such rapid rates will do to the environment in the future. He invited students to make small changes in their lives that can largely impact the future of our planet.”Do not doubt the power you have as an individual and as a powerful group,” said Palm. “Things we do today and decisions that we make will affect the world you live in for the rest of your life.”ACE’s presentation last year sparked the start of Classical’s Environmental Club, run by AP Environmental and Marine Biology teacher David Winchester.The club’s mission is to promote the cleanliness and care of the earth, starting within the high school.”We want students to understand that it’s not their fault, but they can make changes,” said Winchester.Along with Winchester, a group of students helps to oversee positive changes that can help transform the high school. The Advertising Club also contributes by creating eco-friendly posters that are hung around the school.Since the formation of the club, Classical now has various recycling bins located in hallways and classrooms to encourage students to recycle.Student Zachary Culp enjoys the fact that students get yelled at now when they try to throw bottles into the trash bins.”A lot of students are now bringing their own aluminum water bottles instead of plastic ones,” said Culp. “The amount of students that now recycle has gone way up.”The Environmental Club meets every Tuesday after school in Winchester’s classroom. Along with brainstorming ideas to create a healthier high school, the club also maintains a small aquarium and is raising turtles that will eventually be released into a local freshwater pond.ACE also gives schools grants to start eco-friendly projects and offers various scholarship programs.To learn more about ACE’s science sponsored programs, visit www.acespace.org.