Ethan Ngo and Ella Martin: EAK
Nurturing Young Minds: Through Environmental Art for Kids
Next to a high school, a grade school, and a hospital –within half a mile– on regularly cleaned roads, four kids found over 400 cigarette buds and buckets of trash. Considering the location of said trash, it begs a vital question: what do we want the children of today’s world to experience at a young age, and even more than that, how should they react? Today, littering is a very common activity, speaking from a high schooler’s perspective very few people care if they litter, the excuse is it is simply too much work to dispose of trash properly. To combat this issue, together with a friend, we’ve formed a nonprofit group dedicated to informing and reinforcing the value of the environment in children from grades kindergarten to sixth grade.
Considering our demographic we believed it best to stay away from long lectures. No kid wants to be talked to for thirty minutes. We are dedicated to taking a unique approach to helping our local community, coloring pages, games, and activities. Through the power of art and design, we can provide an entertaining medium that encourages creative expression and the learning of specific information on the environment. Teaching in this way allows for a Socratic class that creates a comfortable environment. Already we have talked to over 60 kids and each class has had tremendous participation and outstanding academics!
The environment today poses many issues. From the myriad of issues, we have chosen three key topics: Composting/recycling/trash, endangered species, and invasive species. These topics are easy to understand, simple to explain, and offer the first steps into the world through an environmental lens. We have used local examples in our lessons. For example, when talking about endangered species we used our local spotted owl as an example which has a very unique presence in Marin County.
Today, we are working on planning lessons for summer camps, a book that can be read anywhere, and branching out to the surrounding area. Our goals are lengthy, but this passion project is here to make a lasting change to help make a better tomorrow.
A special shoutout to our mentors, Doug and Al, for their support and instruction. They gave us the key to the car, without them this wouldn’t have been possible. Many Thanks!