Team Project

The vision for the Spokane Youth Environmental Conference (SYEC) is to promote environmental science, encourage students to conduct scientific investigations, and then provide a venue for students to showcase their projects. For the past 12 years, a group of scientists, communicators and educators have worked together to create a professional-type conference with the students submitting abstracts, and then presenting either oral presentations or visual poster exhibits to their peers and for evaluation by professionals. Students learn from each other about local and global environmental issues and concrete actions each can take to help address these issues. Additionally, the conference provides students an opportunity to experience other elements of scientific-type conferences, such as keynote speaker, group activities promoting environmental awareness, and a sit-down lunch.

Conference organizers have continually worked on ways to improve both the students’ science and presentation skills by developing more a rigorous rubric for evaluation. The base of project evaluators has broadened to include scientists and educators.

The desired outcomes for the conference are to increase the participation of students conducting research in the field of environmental science and to strengthen the quality of their work. Studies show that students involved in hands-on environmental education have higher overall testing scores.

The conference is designed to: Enable students, through their active participation, to demonstrate their mastery of the Science and Language EALRs; work toward meeting the Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) for math, reading and science; and complete senior culminating projects.

The Spokane Youth Environmental Conference is a great tool for students considering an environmental science project either as part of their culminating senior project, or just starting to investigate what they might want to do in the future.

The Conference structure itself lets the participating students and their families know that environmental science is important. The annual SYEC is a one day, high-energy event for students in grades 7-12, to showcase their environmental science projects. The 2009 conference theme is Go Green - which ties-in the with the conservation focus of the conference.

Over the years, the conference has been in the local news, thus letting the public know that these kids are “doing real science, and solving real problems.”

Conference Organizers (National Weather Service, Spokane Field Office; Spokane County Utilities - Water Resources; Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency; Spokane Regional Solid Waste System; Washington Department of Ecology; Spokane Aquifer Joint Board) are always seeking new participants and investors. Just this year, the Spokane River Forum has joined as an organizer. There is an incentive program to encourage teachers to recruit other teachers as well.

The conference is made possible by the generous support of local businesses and organizations. 2009 Conference Sponsors include: Budinger & Associates, CH2MHill, GeoEngineers, Hollister-Stier, Northwest Farm Credit Services, Rings & Things, Spokane County Conservation District, TransCanada, Washington State Employees Credit Union, and Wells Fargo. These community businesses provide the funds that allow the conference to present prize awards to Superior projects. These donors not only receive recognition, but a full report on the conference as well as copy of the Journal of Superior Projects. Many donors may also provide someone who can be an evaluator of projects at the conference.

Conference Organizers have made presentations/exhibits about SYEC at other state level conferences: Environmental Education of Washington, Solid Waste Association of the North America (Pacific NW Division). Locally, the conference has been presented to Society of Inland Northwest Environmental Scientists.

The conference and conference organizers can also be used as resources to connect with environmental organizations that can assist with mentors, data, resources or community service hours the students may need to complete their project.

SYEC is about scientists, communicators and educators working together to support students in their environmental science efforts – In addition to the scientists and agency partners, education advisors include: Educational Service District 101, West Valley Outdoor Learning Center and Mindy Poindexter, Freeman Middle School. Freeman Middle School students develop outstanding projects through a partnership between the science and language arts teachers. Ms. Poindexter states: “The conference has been an invaluable experience and tremendous resource towards meeting our science goals.”