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The Bjornson children of Scenery Hill -- Odessa, 9; Kylan, 14 and Gunnar 12 -- taking part in a recent Young Voices for the Planet workshop at La Roche College.
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Kids, teach your teachers well about environmental awareness

Maren Cooke

Kids, teach your teachers well about environmental awareness

Kylan Bjornson of Scenery Hill, Washington County, has a thing or two to say about fracking.

“There are regulations that allow unconventional [gas] wells to be close to homes. That’s unnecessary,” he said. “We have the technology to be able to drill farther away, but we choose not to.”

And while he’s on the subject of improving the quality of life, how about reducing truck traffic and improving the quality of the air and water?

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Kylan, a 14-year-old student at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Beaver County, was among a group of young people who spoke at a unique teacher workshop series designed to get kids thinking about the world beyond their homes, schools and digital devices. The workshops aim to teach teachers how to effectively present those ideas to their students.

The program, Young Voices for the Planet (www.youngvoicesfortheplanet.com), was founded and directed by Lynne Cherry, an author and illustrator of 30 nature-oriented children’s books. The program includes a film series and teacher workshops in which kids are encouraged to challenge decision-makers, create solutions and kick-start the changes that Ms. Cherry believes will ultimately solve the world’s biggest problems.

“A lot of students watched the Parkland [High School] kids on TV. They’re asking about the shooting, asking teachers if there’s anything they can do,” said Ms. Cherry. “Teachers are asking, ‘How can I help young people to be empowered and believe in their ability to change things?’ ”

Her books include “Flute's Journey: The Life of a Wood Thrush” (1997), “A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History” (2002), and her New York Times best-seller, “The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest,” released in 2000.

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Grants from the Heinz Endowments and the Garden Club of Allegheny County have funded workshops at First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh and La Roche College. More workshops are scheduled March 9 at Lutherlyn Camp in Butler, March 10 at Phipps Conservatory in Oakland, May 11 at Fern Hollow Nature Center in Sewickley, and June 26 at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden at Settler’s Cabin Park.

“What makes it compelling for students is looking at issues that are relevant in their lives locally,” said Ms. Cherry. “It’s empowering young people so they realize they can change minds, laws and the world through civic engagement and democracy.”

On March 28, Ms. Cherry will lead about 300 students and teachers to Washington, D.C., where they will hand-deliver climate action resolutions to each of the 535 U.S. House and Senate offices. Kylan is going, as well as his sister Odessa, 9, and brother Gunnar, 12, who also participated in the La Roche workshop. He’s excited about the trip.

“We need to instill the spark into people so they are more aware of things around them and things happening in their communities,” Kylan said. “The biggest change we can make is within the families of America. No legislation can change things more than families.”

For more information, contact outreach director Kimberly Gutzler at 202-479-9141 or youngvoicesforplanet@gmail.com.

First Published: February 15, 2019, 4:55 p.m.

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The Bjornson children of Scenery Hill -- Odessa, 9; Kylan, 14 and Gunnar 12 -- taking part in a recent Young Voices for the Planet workshop at La Roche College.  (Maren Cooke)
Teachers listen to speakers at La Roche College during a Young Voices for the Planet teachers workshop.  (Maren Cooke)
Kylan Bjornson, 14, speaks at a recent teachers workshop for the Young Voices for the Planet program.  (Maren Cooke)
Maren Cooke
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