WT Student Groups to Host Earth Day Event for Regional Schools

Photo: Environmental Science Society members Jason Velasquez, from left, Daisa Brown, Christian Campos and Damaris Washington plan hands-on activities for WT's Earth Day celebration.

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University students will help regional elementary students celebrate Earth Day with hands-on activities.

The Environmental Science Society at WT and the American Chemical Society will lead several activities April 21 to help third- and fourth-grade students from Thomas R. Helton Elementary School in Wheeler and Wildorado Elementary School learn more about the importance of protecting the environment.

“We all live on Planet Earth, and we all need to do our best to keep it in the best shape possible. That starts with education. That’s the first step in making progress,” said Damaris Washington, ESS vice president and junior environmental science—geology major from Borger.

Activities will include creating clouds with dry ice and a visual presentation of hazmat personal protective equipment.

The event will run in two sessions between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21 in Legacy Hall inside the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on WT’s Canyon campus. To comply with ongoing Covid-19 precautions, all attendees must wear face coverings, and social distancing will be expected.

Four graduate students and Environmental Science Society members also will conduct Earth Day webinars on April 19 and 26:

• 4 p.m. April 19: Human hair as oil absorbent, presented by Samir Subedi, an environmental science graduate student from Kathmandu, Nepal;
• 4:20 p.m. April 19: Applicability of hydrogen peroxide treatment to atmospheric immersion freezing tests, presented by Kimberly Sauceda, an environmental science graduate student from Borger;
• 4 p.m. April 26: Full-scale marine remediation of coastal systems, presented by Jed McInroe, an environmental science graduate student from Crosbyton; and
• 4:20 p.m. April 26: Playa lake conservation and use, presented by Daisa Brown, an an environmental science graduate student from Fort Worth.

Participation is open to the public. To attend, visit wtamu.webex.com/meet/nhiranuma at the scheduled presentation date and time. Attendees should mute themselves during presentations and use the chat function to participate.

Being responsive to the region’s needs is a key component of the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. With enrollment of more than 10,000, WT offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 40 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 15 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

—WTAMU—