May 1 2008
Twenty-five high school students displaced by Hurricane Katrina, including four from Alabama, will join WWF and scientists to examine the southeastern United States' vulnerability to climate change under research awards from WWF and Allianz Foundation for North America this spring.
The team includes students from Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and Alabama. A list of all 25 students, their hometowns and respective high schools is available upon request.
With the scientist’s guidance, the students will take a closer look at what happens to their home regions under various climate change scenarios and brief regional and national decision-makers on what they learn. They will muddy their boots around Mobile Bay when they gather in June to sample area water ways and evaluate the health of surrounding wetlands.
“These students will inspire action and shape the future of their region—by exploring what’s happening and what may happen, and reporting their discoveries back to their community and decision-makers,” said Kate Graves, Southeast climate program officer, who manages the program for World Wildlife Fund.
“This program empowers young people—the heirs to the legacy of climate change—with a voice in decisions being made now and in preparation for the challenges ahead,” said the Reverend Christopher Worthley, executive director, Allianz Foundation for North America.
To aid in their research and college studies, each student will receive a $1,500 stipend and an HP laptop computer. Students will later participate in a Youth Summit in Washington D.C. July 7-11, 2008 where they will present their findings to decision-makers.
An external selection committee reviewed 52 nominations from teachers and selected 25 finalists who demonstrated exceptional commitment to protecting the environment and learning about the impacts of climate change.
A list of all 25 students, their hometowns and respective high schools is available upon request.