Students are a living legacy

Youth learn, practice green living

TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Student ambassadors from Pea Ridge Intermediate School with teacher Brandy Knight, Kevin Eads, Sheri Nodine, Nolan Moore from the Pea Ridge National Military Park, and Mitchell Simpson and Patti Springs from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission Energy Office celebrated the students’ commitment to green living and the new F250 4x4 crew cab LPG truck.
TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Student ambassadors from Pea Ridge Intermediate School with teacher Brandy Knight, Kevin Eads, Sheri Nodine, Nolan Moore from the Pea Ridge National Military Park, and Mitchell Simpson and Patti Springs from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission Energy Office celebrated the students’ commitment to green living and the new F250 4x4 crew cab LPG truck.

Fourth-grade students from Pea Ridge Intermediate are excited about learning how to conserve energy and sharing what they learn with others. They are part of a student ambassador program -- Junior Ranger Ambassadors for Green Living -- with the Pea Ridge National Military Park.

"Sometimes what is worth getting takes a little while to work on it," Mayor Jackie Crabtree said to the students. "It's a real privilege to me when I see young people like you take the initiative ... you're understanding of what's going on in the world around you and y'all stepping up to make sure that's something you're involved in is commendable. I'm so proud of y'all. Thank you so much for stepping up."

Celebrating the student ambassadors and their teacher, Brandy Knight, Mitchell Simpson and Patti Springs from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission Energy Office in Little Rock, joined staff members of the Pea Ridge National Military Park and Mayor Crabtree Tuesday, Jan. 19, to unveil the new LPG-powered truck.

"We're here for two things," Kevin Eads, PRNMP superintendent, said. "One is unveiling our truck. The other is celebrating you!"

"Because of what you did ... none of this would have been possible had it not been for the Clean Cities partnership grant."

"A lot of times, you've heard the truck mentioned," Sheri Nodine, facilities manager, said. "This truck is not a living legacy. You guys are. I'm more proud of my ambassadors than I've ever been of anything in my life.

"You are the future. Without your dedication, this program would be nothing. All we would have is a truck. We have you -- all these mouthpieces. There is a better way of life that we can do something to keep our earth for your kids and grandkids. I think you're the most important people in the entire room."

Simpson, director of the Ark. Economic Development Commission Energy Office, said the students are doing a good job working on energy efficiency -- turning off lights, lowering temperatures on heating.

"The propane (that fuels the truck) is produced right here in America," Simpson said. "We really applaud leaders like these folks right here in Pea Ridge ... We think this is an important initiative and hope other parks will follow through. We commend Pea Ridge for doing this work and congratulate you all for being a part of this work."

"Ms. Patti took a day out of her schedule to come talk to us," Knight said of Patti Springs, EEA facilitator with the state agency. "These people have a passion for what they do. They're willing to invest time, interest, energy, money."

"We really do appreciate the way that all of you have really connected to the project and given it life," Mitchell said.

"Thank you for participating in this program," Springs said. "It's up to you to help us make a difference in the world. It's starting small. Each of you are going to grow up and take these ideas and go out into the world and touch other people and grow from them, too."

Nodine wrote the grant application for the Challenge Cost Share program. The grants received funded a green house that is on the Pea Ridge Intermediate School campus and the truck which will be used at the military park.

Eads said the Pea Ridge military park was one of 27 parks to receive a Directors Partnership Award for the Clean Cities Initiative for "outstanding achievement in support of the U.S. Department of Energy and National Park Service Clean Cities Partnership." He said there are 409 national parks across the United States.

"I've known Ms. Sheri for 15 years and ever since I've known her, she's worked towards green living," Eads said. "She not only does it at the park, she does it at her house. She has helped the park become a climate friendly park at a time when very few were doing it."

Mrs. Knight said she was trying to design a green house for the students when she learned about the possibility of the Clean Cities grant. "This small little plan that I had originally ... you have seen what it has grown into."

"This partnership with the school," Knight said, "is exciting. This park is where my pa, my grandpa worked. You have no idea how much these guys, you guys, mean to me."

"To future our quest to educate the public on alternative fuels and other actions that can be taken to reduce the carbon foot print of the nation," Nodine said of her goal.

Praising the staff at the park, Nodine said there are a lot of unsung heroes and she doesn't take credit for the program, despite others saying it was her "brain child."

"The students will be able to experiment on living plants and to explore different ways to perhaps reduce their carbon footprint in our living environment through the uses of bio fuels, or simply by growing their own foods locally. The class will be assisting the park in our restoration efforts, as well as providing the park and the community of Pea Ridge with an army of youth to promote Green Living. The entire fourth-grade science class of Pea Ridge School will become youth volunteers for the Parks Green Team," Nodine said.

General News on 01/27/2016