Weekly Media Roundup: March 21, 2018

Environmental Science Center Creates Future Conservationists (Westside Seattle, Washington)

The nonprofit Environmental Science Center connects youth and other community members with nature. The center hopes that by introducing students to the environment through hands-on scientific activities in summer and afterschool programs, they’ll be inspired to protect Puget Sound’s local watershed and the rest of Seattle’s natural surroundings. “Our programs are tailored to spark curiosity,” community engagement manager Kharli Rose told Westside Seattle. “Curiosity fuels us and knowledge guides us. The more we know about something, the more likely we are to protect it.”

City of Salisbury Unveils New Youth Community Center (WMDT, Maryland)

This week, the city of Salisbury celebrated the opening of its first ever community center designed to serve youths of all ages. The Truitt Street Community Center will give students a safe place after school to work on homework, engage in recreational activities and more. The community center will be free of charge to all participants, making the programs accessible to families no matter their financial situation. "It's cool for a kid who has the money to go to a program where they can pay, but what about those kids who can't afford it,” community advocate Jermichael Mitchell told WMDT. “…. I just wanted to have somewhere where it was a safe haven where kids can say I don't have to pay to go to Truitt Street Community Center.”

Connellsville Middle Schoolers Tackle Heavy Equipment in CTC After-School Program (Uniontown Herald-Standard, Pennsylvania)

The Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center recently taught a group of middle-schoolers how to operate bulldozers, dump trucks and other heavy machinery through a unique afterschool program. “This job is literally in their backyard. We want to show younger kids you can have a great-paying career in this area,” CTC workforce development coordinator Shawna Little told the Uniontown Herald-Standard. The program hopes to inspire students to consider a career in construction or other in-demand fields through hands-on learning.

Kilgore 'Ninja' Targets Fitness for Local Youth (Kilgore News Herald, Texas)

Kilgore ISD teacher and Ignition Station head coach Hannah Grace Beets helps her students stay healthy by engaging in physical activity at her afterschool program. Now, she’ll be able to show her students just how far fitness can take them by competing in hit TV show “America Ninja Warrior.” Beets’ run on the show will air this summer. “I really did it because I want to get into public speaking using demonstrations of movement,” Beets told the Kilgore News Herald. “I thought, being on 'American Ninja Warrior,' teenagers could relate better. Hopefully it will be inspirational to them.” The afterschool program is free of charge and serves 15 to 20 students on a regular basis, encouraging them to move around and stay active.