As Florida’s sea levels continue to rise, many Broward students say it’s time for them to also rise and take action on climate change.
Around 1,000 students from 26 Broward middle and high schools gathered at the Museum of Discovery and Science on Friday for the second annual Youth Climate Summit, where they learned not only about the effect of climate issues facing South Florida but what they can do to help solve it.
Superintendent Robert Runcie said many students are already doing that.
“We have Gretas here in Broward, too,” Runcie said, referring to Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish student whose activism has attracted international attention, including the honor of being Time Magazine’s Person of the Year.
Kayla Bellow, 15, a ninth grader at Fort Lauderdale High, said she and others are up to the challenge. She’s leading a project to connect students with businesses to help persuade them to be more sustainable.
“This is our world we’re going to be living in, and we’re the only ones who can make a difference,” Kayla said. “We’re going to be electing government officials, and that’s the way change is going to be made. If everyone can unite, we can start working on solutions.”
This advocacy component to environmental education is relatively new, said Joseph Cox, president and CEO of the science museum.
“It’s really evolved. It’s not just, ‘This is climate change. This is what’s happening,'” he said. “It’s now about getting kids the skills they need to help Broward County continue to thrive in a world impacted by climate change.”
Knowing how to communicate their knowledge becomes increasingly important as some political leaders deny or downplay climate change, despite the overwhelming evidence by scientists, said Lisa Milenkovic, who supervises the science curriculum for Broward schools.
On Friday, the students met with elected officials, including County Commissioner Beam Furr, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy and State Rep. Chip Lamarca, as well as experts in engineering, planning, law, media and technology to discuss solutions.
Florida International University engineering faculty shared how they can use technology to monitor and record sea level rise. County government officials discussed how they plan to build infrastructure to help withstand rising seas.
Students also heard from communications experts on ways to get the word out.
Rosemary O’Hara, editorial page editor of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, encouraged students to learn what they can on this issue and make their voices heard with political leaders, something Nicole Buckley, a senior at Cypress Bay High in Weston, is already doing.
“I’m working to mobilize students to get out to vote on environmental issues,” said Buckley, 18. “We’re also hoping to get the School Board to become more active on climate change. I’ve already met with Superintendent Runcie, and we’re really hoping the School Board pushes forward on this.”
The biggest school district priorities she sees are adding solar panels and food composting programs. Cypress Bay is the state’s largest high school, and she said it’s distressing to see how much lunchroom food ends up in landfills.
Seth Solomon, 16, a student at Northeast High in Oakland Park, said he learned Friday that his generation needs to step up.
“Climate change is going to immediately hit us. We’re already facing a sea level rise. It’s going to take away homes, and I live near the beach,” Solomon said. “Action is being taken, but we need to carry it on.”
