Since 2004, environmental science teacher Jill Krysinski has been working with students at Bloom High School in Chicago Heights to gain a hands-on understanding of solutions to the environmental challenges posed by fossil fuels. In 2006, the high school’s science club started an outreach program to raise awareness about renewable energy on a student-to-student level, traveling to schools and events in the area and eventually being featured on Nickelodeon’s Big Green Help.
“We have presented to 1000s of people and the students love it,” says Krysinski. “Students that graduate, still want to come back to participate. They learn leadership skills, speaking and presenting skills, all while promoting a worthy cause.”
One of the stars of the presentations used to be a 1991 Chevy Sports Van, which ran on B100-grade biodiesel collected and processed by the students themselves. Recently though, that van’s transmission broke, leaving the students devastated and Bloom High in search of a new bus.
The program’s grant money has run out, and the science club is seeking the donation of a replacement renewable energy vehicle capable of transporting at least 14 students.
Ms. Krysinski says that the program is willing to take on sponsorship, displaying company logos on the bus itself and mentioning donors in the introduction to its outreach presentations.
The goal though is to get Bloom High science-lovers back in a vehicle that can both take them where they need to go and act as a functional teaching tool.
If you think that you or your company might be in a position to help these students, either with a new or used van or a monetary donation, please contact Jill Krysinski via email.