On April 21 and 22, over 1,200 students flocked to Denver Zoo to present their service-learning projects. We had an amazing two days where we learned from dozens of projects that ranged from addressing the use of Styrofoam trays in the cafeteria to keeping our storm drains clean, from renewable energy to "Superfoods." Students displayed their projects alongside community partners who shared information about similar work they are doing in the Denver metro area.
While the student presentations were the main focus of the day, we also saw the creation of a beautiful community art project. Our friends at Platte Forum, along with an army of volunteers, walked the first through eighth graders through a project that used recycled materials to create "magic carpets" that depict zoo animals. The three pieces measure about 3' by 8' each and are beautiful and sustainable.
Some other highlights of the day were visits by distinguished guests Carol Rushin from Environmental Protection Agency and DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg. Lynn Valencia from 9News and community activist Kendra Sandoval fired up the crowds as keynote speakers and our friends at Robinson Dairy donated a whopping 1,300 popsicles that were distributed at the end of each day.
We'd like to thank the following partners who participated in the Youth Summit and helped make the event a success:
Denver Zoo
Robinson Dairy
Whole Foods Cherry Creek
Panera Bread Glendale
Denver Public Schools Office of Sustainability
Cottonwood Institute
Jammin Junior
Adams County Stormwater Regulatory Compliance Unit
A small group of middle school students at The Odyssey School, participating in a service learning independent study, have a new focus on their school lunches. Some of the packaging from a meal can be recycled, but what to do about the amount of food waste? Students investigated how much food waste was being produced each day and determined that it was enough to do something about. Their first thought was around composting at their school. If food waste from the lunch room could be composted it could be recycled, making it better for the environment and helping their community.
Students investigated the resources available in their community and began reaching out to form partnerships. Students requested advice from local master composters, formed a relationship with a small local business that picks up food waste/compost, and discussed the possibilities with a local urban farm that could really utilize the free compost. Their FrontRange Earth Force liaison is a master composter and has brought in her own expertise as well as additional resources.
The Odyssey school is also located near Johnson and Wales University (Denver campus). The university expressed interest in connecting their students with Odyssey students to work on a service learning project. Through an interactive workshop facilitated by Johnson and Wales students, both groups discovered their joint interested in composting. The university campus has instituted a composting program. Students are currently coordinating a field trip to the campus to learn more about their composting program and to see how they can work together to accomplish something similar at Odyssey. Only time will tell what these students will accomplish!
SPREE Force wins Excellence in Environmental Education Program Award
Fans of FrontRange Earth Force definitely have a reason to celebrate! SPREE Force, a program born out of FREF's collaboration with SPREE (South Platte River Environmental Education), has been given the award for Best New Program in Environmental Education by the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education.
SPREE Force was evaluated based on its ability to stand out in environmental education, its inclusiveness in programming, the presence of community involvement within the program and its goal to help participants grow and make environmentally responsible decisions. The award will be presented at CAEE’s annual award banquet on March 12th. For more information see CAEE's website, http://www.caee.org/quality/ee-awards/awar.html.
SPREE Force is currently in its second school year with nine participating Denver elementary schools: Fairview, Gilpin, Grant Ranch, McKinley Thatcher, Palmer, Polaris, Southmoor, Steele, and Teller.
As part of the SPREE Force program, K-5th grade studentssign up to become SPREE Force Special Agents, with Chompers the SPREEver (a beaver!) as their boss and lead agent, and are given six monthly secret missions to carry out in an effort to help protect their local rivers. The final mission is a community event along the South Platte River in May that allows all SPREE Force Special Agents to celebrate together. In return for completing the sign up sheet and subsequent missions each student receives a special, "limited-edition" trading card designed by SPREE staff. These trading cards display Chompers on the front and helpful information pertinent to the mission just completed on the back.
FrontRange Earth Force would like to thank the following funding partners for their continued support.
Proud to be a silver partner in the Colorado Environmental Leadership Program!
Want to invest in Earth Force and help develop new leaders in your community? By making an on-line donation, you can help make hands-on learning and community-focused projects available to young people throughout Denver.
FrontRange Earth Force is a member of the Denver-Boulder Better Business Bureau.
FrontRange Earth Force is a proud partner of Denver Public Works and its Keep It Clean Denver campaign. For more information on how you can help improve water quality throughout the Denver metro area, please visit the Keep It Clean Denver webpage.
FrontRange Earth Force supports transparency of our operations.
Since 1997, we have reached more than 15,000 students in 90 schools throughout the Denver Metro area. Our successes prove that youth can have an impact not just in the future, but right now!
YOU CAN CONTACT US ANY TIME via email or by telephone at (303) 433-0016. We can also be reached via fax at (303) 433-3014.
OUR OFFICE IS LOCATED at 1619 E. 35th Ave., Suite B, Denver, CO80205. Please stop by and see us sometime soon!
FRONTRANGE EARTH FORCE IS A MEMBER OF COMMUNITY SHARES, a collaborative work-place giving program that connects Coloradans to causes and charities they care about most. Our Community Shares Member Agency Campaign Code is #5111. Our Combined Federal Campaign identification number is #49545.
FrontRange Earth Force received a silver level award in Colorado's Environmental Leadership Program last month.
The award represents a commitment to creating and implementing an environmental management system (EMS) within three years that will be monitored by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The FrontRange office's EMS will be developed using the Earth Force process to identify opportunities for reducing their carbon footprint.
FREF joins over 100 small and large businesses, as well as some communities around the state, in becoming part of the environmental leadership network.
Picking up leeches and cleaning out sewers may not sound fun,but for the kids who attended "Operation: South Platte Connection," a water festival in Grant Frontier Park, this was exactly what made it interesting.In partnership with Keep it Clean Denver and South Platte River Environmental Education (SPREE), Earth Force used the South Platte River ...
Joined by several community partners, Ellis Elementary officially turned on their solar panels on Friday, April 24. The panels were installed last year as a result of the school's partnership with FrontRange Earth Force and Earth Day Network. Over the life of the panels, they will see an estimated $50,000 savings in energy usage.
27 Jan 2009 -
Frontrange Earth Force, in Denver, is offering a way to help Denver Public School students raise monies for their purposes. To find out who is participating or how you can involve your school, read on. More...
23 Jan 2009 -
FrontRange Earth Force recently was featured in the North Edition of Colorado Parent Magazine. The article written by Lydia Rueger, entitled "Go Big Green!" discusses the efforts to make Denver Public Schools more environmentally sound. More...
18 Sep 2008 -
A new collaboration brings students new opportunities to help keep the South Platte River clean and protected from drain to stream! More...
24 Mar 2008 -
Ellis Elementary, one in three schools in North America, has been chosen to receive "Green Makeover" through the Earth Day Network's GREEN Schools Campaign. More...
14 Nov 2007 -
Denver City Councilwoman Carla Madison, recently elected representative of Denver's District 8, is having an open house at her office on Saturday, November 24. Councilwoman Madison was also a supporter of our 10 for 10 Challenge Anniversary Celebration, and she will be displaying the mural created by Mitchell Elementary students at her open house! More...
24 Oct 2007 -
On October 23, Earth Force students at Mitchell Elementary tested the waters at Heron Pond. This year, though, their efforts had an international twist - on the same day, their peers in Argentina were making similar efforts. The kids have been teaming up this school year to make an international impact in science, citizenship and community. More...
23 Oct 2007 -
Chilly weather didn't phase the students, parents, teachers and community supporters who turned out to help Pinnacle Charter School open its amazing new outdoor learning area on October 26. Once a bleak field, with busses parked on top of browned grass, this area was transformed by Earth Force classes and supportive administration over the course of two years into a dynamic play-and-learn wonderland! More...
4 Jun 2007 -
The theme of the 2006-07 school year was this simple refrain: “quality, quality, quality!”
The staff of FrontRange Earth Force worked harder than ever to ensure that every young person, educator, advisor and administrator involved in Earth Force programming received the highest quality support and assistance. The result? More...
11 Dec 2006 -
Our wonderful donors and funding partners have yet another reason to feel proud of giving to FrontRange Earth Force! Our organization recently passed the Better Business Bureau's rigorous "Wise Giving" review - we are now officially a Wise Choice for your generous support! More...
