Medea Creek team claws its way to the top


 

Two teams of students from Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park have been selected as finalists in an environmental challenge.

The OurEcho Challenge invites middle school students from across the country to identify threats to their local ecosystems and come up with a solution.

The challenge is presented by EarthEcho International, a nonprofit environmental organization founded by Philippe Cousteau Jr., grandson of ocean explorer Jacque Cousteau.

Medea Creek’s teams, mentored by environmental teacher Katie Wilsker, are among 10 finalists in the running for three cash prizes of between $2,000 and $10,000 that will allow them to continue their research.

Team Crayfish is researching the best way to trap crayfish in local streams by making use of discarded plastic bottles. The students created a website explaining their research methods and what inspired them to find a way to rid the streams of crayfish, an invasive species in Southern California.

The other Medea Creek team that was named a finalist is Team California Native Bees. The team members are working to restore native bee populations by planting gardens that will attract the bees back to the community.

There has been a decline in native bee populations in recent years, according to the national conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife. The decline threatens the supply of foods, such as tomatoes, squash and almonds, that depend on pollinators to thrive. The students hope to reverse that trend. Entries will be presented virtually to a panel of judges as part of EarthEcho’s fifth annual Youth Leadership Summit, Aug. 6 through 8.

Information about the teams and their projects can be found at:

https://sites.google.com/opusd.org/canativebees

https://sites.google.com/opusd.org/team-crayfish/home?authuser=0

For information about the challenge, visit earthecho.org.