GM, Earth Force program teaching Struthers students about Yellow Creek

STRUTHERS

Seventh-graders were quickly engaged when learning about Yellow Creek Friday.

“People need to care more,” said Kareem Hickman, 11, one of the students testing water samples from Yellow Creek in Scott Stoddart’s science class at Struthers Middle School.

The lesson serves as the introduction for a new program for the school district established by General Motors, Earth Force, an environmental-focused organization based in Colorado, and the Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District.

“It gets kids excited about the [science, technology, engineering and math] disciplines,” said Kathleen Vrable-Bryan, administrator of MSWCD.

The program has an emphasis on service learning by educating students on the issues within their community, she added.

School principal Pete Pirone, said he hopes the lesson teaches students how “small little things can have a huge effect” on the environment.

Vrable-Bryan said the program has been carried out in Youngstown City Schools for the last decade, but is expanding to other school districts.

For more on the program, read Saturday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.