Stars and STEM Stories
GLOBE School in Niger Plants 1,000 Trees on Global Youth Service Day
École Diori 1, a GLOBE school in Niamey, Niger, was awarded a Disney Minnie Grant to lead a community service campaign on Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) celebrated this year on 25-27 April 2008. GYSD is a worldwide celebration of young volunteers, whose energy and enthusiasm significantly impacts the communities in which they live. The three-day long event involves millions of young people across the world, with the help of mentors, parents, and teachers. Young volunteers address important community needs through service and service-learning projects addressing climate change, literacy, poverty, human rights, and many other issues. "Global Youth Service Day is a wonderful opportunity to encourage today's youth to be a part of making our world a better place to live," said Jeff Hoffman, vice president, Disney Worldwide Outreach. "As part of that encouragement, our Minnie Grants help individuals facilitate outreach programs in their communities." The grants are specifically designed to support young people between the ages of five and 14 in planning and implementing service projects in their community.
At École Diori 1 in the quarter of Boukoki, fifth grade students at the school have been learning about the importance of trees and the number of trees that each of their families consumes during the year as fuel through participation in the GLOBE Program. It is estimated that each family uses approximately two trees each year to cook meals over fire. The area has surrendered to deforestation to the extent that trucks must haul in supplies from other areas. In an effort to replace the trees that the 500 students at the school have consumed, they decided to plant a 1000-tree nursery. The trees will later be taken home to the students' families and planted in their courtyards during National Arbor and Independence Day, Aug 3, 2008. In addition to the nursery, the students of École Diori 1 will also participate in a clean-up of the entire school grounds.
Congratulations to the students of École Diori 1 in Niamey for their outstanding efforts toward reforestation of their community and to all GLOBE students worldwide who are involved in service to their communities, making a difference every day!
01 May 2008