Symposium
Fifteen years ago, Wheelabrator Technologies' senior management team envisioned a program that would help foster environmental and social awareness in the youth of its client communities.
Today, the Wheelabrator Symposium for Environment and Education has become the centerpiece of the company's community relations program and the highlight of many students' academic years. The symposium, which kicked off in Concord, N.H., in 1994, is a six-month learning project in which middle-school students identify an environmental challenge in their community and develop a long-term solution. They present their findings to a panel of educators, government officials and local community volunteers at the culmination of the project each May. This year's symposium was held in Sunrise, Fla.
"Since the start, more than 1,500 seventh- and eighth-graders have had the opportunity to do something positive in their communities," said Wheelabrator Vice President of Public Affairs Frank Ferraro. "We've seen a variety of interesting projects, from radon awareness to beekeeping to graffiti removal. Their hard work is what sets them apart. They're not just good students; they're great students."
"The symposium has been able to sustain itself for so long thanks to the students, the dedicated Wheelabrator employees and, most importantly, the teachers who have invested so much extra time and effort because they care about their students and what they will do for the environment," said Linda Sapienza, Wheelabrator's director of community relations.
Across the board, the most significant changes to the symposium have been as a result of technology enhancements. In the early years, students used VHS tapes, overhead projectors and transparencies. Today’s multi-media presentations include videos, music, interactive charts and photo slideshows – brought to life by the click of a mouse.
In 2009, the students from F.D.R. Middle School project focused on finding out why more students are staying inside and not having direct experiences with nature. After conducting research as to why this was, the students developed an action plan to reverse this trend. The plan addressed what citizens, students and policy makers should do to reverse this trend and get more kids outside. The F.D.R. students met this challenge by refurbishing a nature trail at a local park and encouraged their class mates and their families to enjoy it and learn about local wildlife.
Another shift has been in the mounting level of students' expertise.
"This company started organizing the symposium long before green was cool, but every year the students have come forward, passionate and driven to make a difference," said Wheelabrator Vice President of Operations William Roberts. "You can't be at this event and not be impressed with the youth of America."
The multi-day event also includes an awards ceremony and dinner, as well as an activities day, designed to be both educational and entertaining. Past adventures have included exploring the Everglades; touring to the Miami Seaquarium, a world-class marine-life entertainment park; camping; and visiting other parks and nature sanctuaries.
This year's program was the third time the event was hosted in Sunrise, Fla., uniting students from 13 different schools in one location. Previously, the company organized regional events in New England, the Mid-Atlantic and the South, following the first five years in Concord.
This year also marks the 15th anniversary of Wheelabrator’s partnership with Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. Dr. Henry Ponder, former university president, served as a judge for the symposium in its inaugural year and was eager to set up a four-year scholarship at the university for symposium participants. Kent Wallace, director of the physics laboratories at Fisk was a featured speaker at this year’s event.
"It was really motivating to interact with the youth," said Wallace. "These students are the next generation of scientists and examples of those who are going above and beyond. When they get to college, they'll already be ahead of the game."
