Students: Unplug Your Gizmos, Help Save The Planet

When you ask fifth-graders what we can do to help save energy and help the environment, one of the things they'll tell you is to start right at home by unplugging unused computers, iPod chargers and other gizmos that are power drains.

That was the message from just about all six of the winners in the 19th Annual Eleanor Burlingham Earth Day Essay Contest, who were announced Wednesday in a special program at the Rockland County Executive's Office in New City.

The winners in the contest for fifth-graders include three students from Link Elementary School in New City, one from St. Augustine's School in New City, one from Rockland Country Day School in Congers and one from Congers Elementary School.

Sean Mathews, chief of staff for Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, said 151 students from seven schools entered the essay conest, with the topic of the essay being "What can I do to Conserve Energy in my Home, School and Neighborhood."

The contest is sponsored by the county's Environmental Management Council annually to honor the memory of Eleanor Burlingham, a life-long activist who dedicated her life to protecting the environment.

"Congratulations to all our student winners," said Mathews, representing Vanderhoef.  "They understand the importance of preserving our energy resources to protect the environment. With their help and creative ideas, our future is in good hands."

The winners are:

Haleigh Laffan, Link Elementary School, New City

Blake Wills, Link Elementary School, New City

Sarah Perez, Link Elementary School, New City

Caroline Devin, Congers Elementary School, Congers

Christine Jacob,  St. Augustine's School, New City

Skyler Cornell,  Rockland Country Day School, Congers

Students read their essays during the ceremony and received award certificates from Mathews and Rockland County Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell, D-West Nyack, whose grandson, Skyler, was among the winners. Each winner also received an environmental pin from the Environmental Management Council.

In her essay, Haleigh Laffan wrote, "Over the years, Americans have developed a need for electronics. I think it is unhealthy which is why I try to stay away from electronic devices."

Blake Wills wrote, "My mom calls me her green child." He continued, "My family just recently went shopping for new energy efficient light bulbs."

Sarah Perez wrote her essay as a poem. "In a world where the sun shines bright, we use solar power to make light. Our oceans, our lakes, our rivers, let's keep them clean, they are givers."

Caroline Devin wrote about conserving energy at school. "You can use cardboard at lunch instead of Styrofoam because cardboard can be recycled. When using the printer or copying machine, remember to use the least amount of paper and use both sides."

In her essay Christine Jacob said, "Ride the bus to places once in a while. This helps because one bus carries as many people as forty cars. Our county has new hybrid cars and buses too!"

Skyler Cornell wrote,  "Some ways to save energy at home and at school are to get double paned windows. This will keep in warm and cold air so you don't have to use as much heating and air conditioning."

Bill Baker, chairman of the Environmental Management Council, said he and the other EMC members who reviewed all the essay contest entries had a tough time selecting the winners because of the quality of all the entries.

"We have to give a lot of credit to the teachers and their work and all they do to promote environmental awareness in the classrooms," said Baker.

Baker noted that the late Eleanor Burlingham would have been pleased by the work of the students in the essay contest. "She loved young children, loved the environment and loved Rockland County," Baker said.

Mary Hegarty, the EMC's environmental management assistant, said more than 5,000 students have participated in the essay contest since its inception in 1992. Speaking to the essay winners and their families, Hegarty said the students should remember this day as proof that perhaps they can do something to help change the world.

Cornell, who read her grandson's essay at the ceremony, said the students have shown they are very forward-looking when it comes to helping the environment.

"We have to do everything we can to save the world and save our natural resources," said Cornell, who recalled for the students her own days in school when children were taught that the world's natural resources were vitrually unlimited. "We have certainly learned that our natural resources are limited."