Wildife Conservation - PSA #6

Note:
The makers of this PSA have since gone on to form the Global Youth Council for Wildlife Conservation. A group of young people dedicated and passionate about conserving the wildlife of our planet. Check out their website, www.youthforwildlife.org.

This PSA was created by:

Camden
I was born in the small town of Denton, Texas. In Texas I attended Woodrow Wilson elementary school where I played football, soccer and baseball. When I was 11 years old my family moved to Eureka, California where my father achieved a job as a professor at Humboldt State University. I am now a sophomore at North Coast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy where I am part of the Youth Actors Guild. I recently performed in productions of “King Henry the IV and V,” “Cyrano de Bergerac” and with the San Francisco Operas production of “The Barber of Seville” (I had a non-singing part in the opera). I have also been volunteering at the Sequoia Park Zoo for the past six years, doing over 700 hours of work. When I turned 16 in 2007, the zoo gave me a job as a zookeeper, which I greatly enjoy. I also helped to start the Sequoia Park Zoo chapter of Roots and Shoots, for which I am currently treasurer. I was a member of my school’s cross country team until I was injured in 2006. I also recently obtained my drivers license as well as my life guard certification. I have also had the privilege of going on international trips with my parents, the majority of which have been to Europe and Central America.

Xin
I am a graduate student at Sichuan University majoring in evolution with a focus on amphibians and reptiles. I have been involved in a student organization called Sichuan University Environmental Volunteer Association (SCUEVA) since 2002. This involvement has played an important role in my university life because it has provided me with many opportunities to participate in different kinds of projects: battery recycling on campus and surrounding communities; environmental education on campus, parks and elementary schools; holding a discussion forum on environmental topics; fundraising and managing books in our reading room. I was president of the association from August 2006 to June 2007 and received one of the Top 10 Leaders Awards in my university. As SCUEVA has wide connections with other NGOs and student clubs, I have found an avenue to learn more about conservation jobs. I have been a volunteer in WWF and helped to finish the GIS maps of some giant panda nature reserves. At present, I could say I am the most experienced Roots & Shoots volunteer for the South West Office. I love wildlife! I always had a hard time tearing myself away from the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. Recently, I have purchased a digital camera and now taking photographs has become a new hobby for me.

JJ
I have just finished my first year of veterinary science at Sydney University. I enjoy a wonderful life living with my parents and as a member of WIRES wildlife rescue. I spend my free time surfing and rock climbing. After finishing high school at SHORE School in North Sydney, I traveled alone to Europe for five months and then to the Democratic Republic of Congo where I worked in a chimpanzee half-way house. This was an experience that changed my life. I am currently writing a short chapter to be included in the book “Heart to Heart,” which will look at the relationship between chimps and humans.

Learn more about the Jane Goodall Institute!

Learn more about Roots & Shoots, a program of the Jane Goodall Institute

Learn more about Jane Goodall’s Global Youth Summit!

Don’t Take It Lightly - PSA #5

This PSA was created by:

Mark
I was born and raised in San Diego. At age 12 I began studying Ninjitsu and acquired my first paying job as a surf camp counselor/instructor. I still work for Ocean Experience during the summer. As a freshman I joined the junior varsity basketball team and joined the cross country team my sophomore year. Currently I am captain of the cross country and track teams. Aside from working as a Ninjitsu instructor, I work with the San Diego Food Bank and Storefront to serve the community. Storefront is a shelter for abused or abandoned teens. The experience was eye-opening. For nearly seven years, I have been a surfer. I live two blocks from the ocean so I have always considered it my playground. My strong interest in international policy led me to join the Model United Nations team in my freshman year. In the four major conferences I attended, I achieved three outstanding recognitions and one best delegate. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my community and extracurricular activities. They have polished my interest in being well rounded and well balanced.

Todd
I am a senior at Little Wound High School. I plan to go to Stanford and become a biologist. I have always found biology to be a very interesting subject. There are so many living creatures, it’s an endless study. I have done many community service projects, mainly dealing with people in my community. I have helped to winterize the homes of the elders living in my community. I also donated coats to less fortunate children in my community. I was not raised in a wealthy home and rarely got what I wanted. However I would always give whatever I could to other people because I knew what it was like to be without. In the spring I plan to do a dam restoration. Currently the dam is polluted and there is graffiti in the area. I am on the cross country team and play basketball. I like to work out and keep healthy. I am also in drama and am the senior class president.

Chelsea
I currently attend Hunter College as an upper sophomore in the City of New York. I intend on pursuing my environmental passions through an environmental studies minor, and intend on majoring in Earth Science Education. I will graduate from Hunter College with a master’s degree in Education to teach Earth Science on a high school level. I have been involved in the Roots & Shoots program since 2004 when I founded a group in my hometown Babylon, Long Island. The Roots & Shoots program has given me many opportunities to participate in community service events, as well as give me an organization to run my own community service events through such as beach clean-ups. I am truly interested in working with others on community-based projects. Upon completing high school in 2006, I received the most prestigious award in my community, the E. Donald Conroy Scholarship Award, showing excellence in community service and academics. I am currently pursuing my interest in the Roots & Shoots program by establishing a New York City Network through the creation of a New York City Office. As the NYC Outreach Coordinator, I feel it is necessary that the people of NYC are aware of the pressing issues involving the environment, people, animals and the global population.

Zubeda
I am a form-six student in the Dar es Salaam region. I joined Roots & Shoots in 2004 and during that time I participated in beach cleanups, environmental day, Roots & Shoots week, animal week, a public talk at the University of Dar es Salaam, and visited orphans. I was also awarded a certificate of membership and am a member of the planning committee for Roots & Shoots. I prefer to read novels, watch movies and talk about children’s and women’s issues. I also like to play sports.

Washo
I am a junior at Merlo High School. My community activities include working as an intern at the Oregon Zoo, conducting animal education lectures and assisting three Roots & Shoots groups with their activities. I also rehabilitate injured animals. I make some of these animals ambassadors to the schools, so that we can help teach the children why wild exotic animals should not be pets. I was the keynote speaker at the launch of World Pulse Magazine in 2004 and at the Northwest Earth Institute Conference in 2006. I have received the IDA Youth Guardian Award, Ashley Shamberger Award, President’s Volunteer Service Award and many others. I also enjoy photography, fencing and hiking.

Learn more about the Jane Goodall Institute!

Learn more about Roots & Shoots, a program of the Jane Goodall Institute

Learn more about Jane Goodall’s Global Youth Summit!

Water - PSA #4

This PSA was created by:

Rohit - Canada
I am an 18-year-old graduate of John Fraser Secondary School. I have led the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance since 2005, and I coordinate Volunteering Peel, a nonprofit organization I started in grade 11. I value environmental stewardship and strong communities. I am very involved in my community, having volunteered over 2000 hours of community service in my high school years alone. The focus of my volunteering group is local community events, and I have been actively involved in mobilizing over 500 volunteers to attend these events for the past two years. I am an advocate for environmental issues, and my interests are long-distance running, social justice work, and volunteering. In 2006, I was named Mississauga’s Youngest Volunteer of the Year, and was honored by the Province of Ontario with the Ontario Medal for Young volunteers the following year. Described as a youth leader, I have been actively involved in extracurricular activities from day one in high school. I have been part of my school band as a trombone player, led the environmental club for two years, participated in track and field, been actively involved in the arts and music councils, Model United Nations, and my school paper. I was the national Under 18 Representative for the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition this past year. I look up to outspoken environmentalist David Suzuki, and have even met him on a few occasions. I am going to the University of Toronto at Mississauga for Environmental Management in September.

Regina - United States
I was born in Mexico City in 1990. I have three brothers and no sisters, and believe that because of this I have developed a strong and independent personality. When I was eight years old, my family moved to Mesa, Arizona. I am currently a senior at Red Mountain High School and am ranked ninth in my class out of over 800 people. Throughout my life I have been taught to dream big, work hard, and never settle for less. I started volunteering in ninth grade. I have volunteered with the city of Mesa at a kid’s summer program and go to an elderly home once a month. I am also extremely involved with project C.U.R.E. and New Global Citizens. I have received a Latino Leadership Award, and was chosen to speak at a luncheon as a student representative for New Global Citizens this year. I am also a writer for The New Globalist, a newspaper for the New Global Citizens. I truly believe that youth can change the world and if we join together we can have a stronger impact. As each year passes, I hope that I can grow as a leader and make a difference in the world. “Do not go where the path may lead. Instead go where there is no path and leave a trail”- Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Maia - Philippines
I study at Canossa College in the Philippines. I have been a member of Friends of the Seven Lakes Foundation (FSLF) Roots & Shoots group since 2003 and am currently the youth president. I was the 2004 Kiwanis Kids President and am the charter director of the San Pablo Leo Club. As a member of the FSLF Youth, I participated in lake clean-up campaigns, tree planting, watershed climbs, mini eco-camps and other environmental activities. The work we do for our local communities through FSLF is something we share with other kids in international conferences. I was one of the delegates to the 2004 Tunza in the USA and to the 2005 Young agenda 21 in Norway. In March 2007, I was the sole delegate to the UNICEF-Biovision Children’s Forum in France and lead delegate in the Canossian Global Youth Congress in Hong Kong in July 2007. I am also very interested in the arts. I have been dancing since preschool and have done ballet performances to raise money for various causes. I am also a member of a choir and enjoy playing lawn tennis.

Calvin - United States
I have been educated at the Albuquerque Academy and at the Outdoor Academy, a small semester school for sophomores that focuses on experiential education and the environment. Both schools provided me with opportunities to do countless hours of community service, like trail maintenance, historic monument restoration, and volunteering on an organic farm. In addition to the Environmental Club, I am also a varsity swimmer, a HOBY leadership alumnus and have a 4.24/4.00 GPA.

Diego - Spain
My name is Diego, I was born in Valladolid but now I’m studying in Salamanca. Since I was a child I became aware of the problems that are threatening our environment. This took me to develop a specific way of life and conditioned my studies. Moreover, I have always felt the need to help other people. These facts have made my life be orientated to pursue goals such as justice, respect and solidarity. During my years as a student I founded tworegional organizatiosn to promote environmental awareness named: ACASAL (Asociacion de Ciencas Ambientales de Salamanca) and FECYLCA (Federacion de Castilla y Leon de Ciencas Ambientales) of which I am now the president. My will to help people became a reality when I was elected by my colleauegs in Universidad de Salamanca to represent the students community. For more than six years I have been the students’ representative and, together with them, we developed different projects with a wide range of objectives. The most important ones were: environmental conference, Regional League for Debate; and Environmental Education Project. Thus when I finished my major in Environmental Sciences I decided to continue studying a PhD in environmental engineering. Nowadays I keep on working for the environment and the social communities through JGI Spain’s R&S program “BioDiverCity” which aims at raising awareness among citizens regarding their rich biodiversity and how to protect it. I will try hard to continue this way of life

Learn more about the Jane Goodall Institute!

Learn more about Roots & Shoots, a program of the Jane Goodall Institute

Learn more about Jane Goodall’s Global Youth Summit!