The Anne Arundel Youth Environmental Action Summit was held on Saturday, February 10, 2024, inspiring the students in attendance. High school and college students were hosted at AACC’s LEED Gold-certified science building surrounded by state-of-the-art stormwater best management practices. It was the perfect setting for a day devoted to environmental awareness and action. A committee of students from St. Mary’s, Broadneck, and South River High Schools helped plan the summit and hands-on activities for the Summit.
Environmental Summit Keynote Speaker
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Keynote speaker Imani Black, lifelong Marylander and founder of Minorities in Aquaculture encouraged the students to use their voices and passion to make a difference in their world. Ms. Black found her passion in her own community. In Imani’s words, “Currently, women — especially women of color — are the minority in the aquaculture field. In my search for the history of women of color in commercial fishing,
the stories were in the packing houses, the shucking houses, the processing part of fisheries, in important, but lower positions.”
“I want to honor them by moving us from the background to the forefront. It isn’t about creating new space for women of color in commercial fishing; it’s bringing us back home and adding to that space with representation, connection, and telling our stories.”
Hands-on Community Service
Planting seeds allowed students to get their hands dirty and learn about community partnerships. The hands-on activity had students planting shoreline grass seeds for Providence of Maryland, whose employees and partners will nurture the grasses until they are planted in a restoration project in Anne Arundel County. This became a competition to see who could plant the most flats of seeds in the allotted 45 minutes. The enthusiasm and quick hands of the high schoolers were impressive.
Breakout Activities
The breakout rooms were a mix of student-chosen interests. The SAAPLING room had student groups identify an environmental crisis, work out the issues and responses to those issues, and present some solutions. The speakers ran the gamut from advocacy – effecting legislative change – to important volunteer activities – removing English ivy and other invasives to save our forested areas.
Environmental Opportunities
Throughout the day, students visited and spoke with various nonprofits, state agencies, and national environmental organizations offering internships, environmental sector jobs, and community volunteer-led activities.
The Summit goal was to offer all county high school students a day to share their environmental stories – in the community, at their schools, and on a national level, and to foster the knowledge that one person can and should make a difference at whatever level possible. Each presenting student representative demonstrated the collective impact made by individual decisions.
The Summit was made possible by partnerships with Spa Creek Conservancy, Anne Arundel Community College Center for Environmental Studies, Chesapeake Family Media, Arundel River Federation, Biohabitats, and the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County.
Volunteer 2025
Adult mentors and student organizers are needed for the 2025 Summit. The student advisory committee determines the summit agenda and activities. Students meet with the adult committee as well as among themselves. All meetings are after school and primarily virtual. Anyone interested in being part of the planning committee for 2025 should complete this form.