One Hundred and Sixty-Nine Students Make Presentations and Host Exhibitions on Sustainability Efforts in Their Schools
A green redesign of a local high school and a car that runs on vegetable oil were two innovative proposals presented by high school students at the Sustainability Learning Center, a new component of the annual Accelerate Conference. Honeywell was a key sponsor of the learning center.
One hundred and sixty-nine students from 11 area high schools and one middle school made presentations and hosted exhibitions on sustainability efforts in their schools. Students covered topics ranging from environmentally friendly initiatives at the local level to programs that can affect the entire planet.
 A local solution: Corcoran seniors present the green redesign of Corcoran High School. |
 A global impact: A Cicero-North Syracuse student explains how cars that run on vegetable oil can cut global greenhouse emissions. |
Daniel Kolinski, a senior from West Genesee High School, opened the conference with comments during the Honeywell-sponsored breakfast and announced the Sustainability Learning Center.
West Genesee High School senior Dan Kolinski introduces keynote speaker Jeremy Gutsche at the Honeywell-sponsored breakfast.
Students participating in the learning center came from Cicero-North Syracuse High School, Corcoran High School, Fowler High School, Henninger High School, Nottingham High School, Cazenovia High School, West Genesee High School, Liverpool High School, Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Manlius Pebble Hill High School and Tully High School. Students from the Johnson Center and the Onondaga Earth Corps also participated. The youngest sustainability scholars came from H.W. Smith Middle School. Representatives from the Baltimore Woods Center for Nature Education and the WorkKeys Center at Syracuse University also participated in the Sustainability Learning Center.
Students attend the Honeywell-sponsored breakfast.
Run by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County, the Sustainability Learning Center provided an opportunity for the students to interact with members of the business, manufacturing, technology and environmental communities.
At the booth hosted by West Genesee High School and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) representatives from the two schools described their joint effort to explore environmentally sustainable solutions that will help restore areas around Onondaga Lake. Working with Tony Eallonardo from SUNY-ESF, students at West Genesee High School planted 500 plants from two species. The species are unique to saltwater marsh communities and could help restore habitat and reduce erosion. Honeywell helped bring these organizations together and provided funding to support their activities.
 West Genesee students talk about their work with SUNY-ESF on the saltwater marsh plant species. |
 SUNY-ESF graduate student Jaconette Mirck explains the Shrub Willow Biomass Project to students. |
Other student presentations included:
 H.W. Smith seventh graders explain how they made stools from recycled materials left from the recent renovation of the Nottingham High School football field. The stools are sold to raise money to buy LifeStraws® for distribution in third world countries. |
 A Henninger student demonstrates an energy bike. |
The Accelerate 2008 Conference was a joint collaboration among F.O.C.U.S. Greater Syracuse, the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce, the CASE Center at Syracuse University, the Central New York Technology Development Organization and the Syracuse Center of Excellence.
 Baldwinsville students explain how their class built an electric car. |
 A student talks to a representative of the WorkKeys Center at Syracuse University. |
For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, visit www.onondaga-lake-initiatives.com.
