by Ariel Miller
Congratulations to the Kenyan students whose environmental projects were honored by worldwide video broadcast on May 10, in CAVU’s 4th Annual Students Climate Innovation Challenge! The Lake Bogoria Girls High School won the Outstanding International Entry award for their powerful film documenting the devastating impact of climate change on their community, and their passionate call to action.
Lake Bogoria Girls High School students in their passionate documentary about the devastation of climate change in their community
The prize for Most Practical/Effective Concept, Middle School was won by students at Magarini Children’s Centre and Organic Farm for their film “Deforestation.” Third and fourth-graders Matthew and Elle of The Living Learning Homeschool in Nairobi won for Most Creative or Engaging Project in Elementary School for their “Wild Our World” project. An honorable mention was awarded to “Making Places Green,” by Minerva from the Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj School in Nairobi.
Hearty congratulations to environmental educator Mercy Wambui of Lavington Eco Rotary Club, who serves as Africa Education Liaison for CAVU. She has been coaching African teachers on CAVU’s environmental and storytelling curriculum, inspiring 17 schools in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria to take part in the Climate Innovation Challenge during the 2022-23 school year. Mercy Wambui is an ESRAG member and incoming Environmental Chair of District 9212.
Environmental Educator Mercy Wambui, a member of the Lavington Eco Rotary Club, announcing several of the CIC prizewinners.
She organized a watch party, hosted by Africa’s Talking, for a group of educators to watch the awards announcement broadcast May 10 while enjoying a fireside chat and movie night. The excitement was palpable when one of the group, Furaha Patrick, who teaches German and math at Magarini Children’s Centre, heard his school announced as one of the winners! You can watch the awards in this 13-minute video showcase.
Schools worldwide are eligible to participate in the Climate Innovation Challenge for free, with a curriculum provided by CAVU to teach climate science, critical thinking, and effective video storytelling. A wide array of professionals in environmental science and documentary filmmaking volunteer as judges in the contest, which engages over 11,000 students a year in schools from elementary through high school. Learn more and sign up at Climate Innovation Challenge.