Event Warms Kids to the Environment

The volume in the California Science Center’s auditorium reached a high-pitched, ear-piercing level, as hundreds of fourth-graders screamed and cheered.

About, of all things, recycling.

Students representing different schools raced each other to see who could sort plastic water bottles, cardboard and aluminum cans into the right recycling containers the fastest as their classmates wildly chanted their names.

If the goal of the first-ever EarthJam, organized by the county Department of Public Works, was to get children enthused about protecting the environment, then mission accomplished.

“They’re so excited about learning what we’re teaching them,” said Menerva Daoud, the agency’s director of environmental programs. “It’s not like a difficult audience.”

About 350 students from 10 schools throughout Los Angeles County participated in Tuesday’s half-day conference. Sponsored by a host of corporations including Radio Disney and Target, the event is part of the department’s environmental education program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Fourth-graders were targeted for EarthJam based on a 1997 study by two environmental groups, Environmental Media Assn. and EarthForce, which found that children at this age are “very motivated” to act on what they learn, Daoud said.

In January, fourth-grade classes throughout the county were invited to produce a public service announcement with an environmental message and submit it to a department contest. Out of submissions from 60 schools, 10 public service announcements--ranging from songs to TV spots and mock billboards--were chosen and the prize was an all-expense-paid trip to EarthJam.

“I learned we need to scoop up dog poop because thousands and thousands of it ends up in the ocean and we swim in it,” said George Bautista, 9, of Wilsona Elementary School in Lancaster.

“You should make sure you fix your car if it’s leaking oil,” said Kailene Valentino, 10, of Lancaster.