SEEK 2007 Conference a Succes

Seventy high school students converged on the University of Florida campus on July 8th for the SEEK 2007 Youth Conference sponsored by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.  Students came from all corners of the State – from Marianna and Live Oak, from St. Augustine and Daytona, from West Palm Beach and Port St. Lucie, from Tampa and Orlando – to attend the annual 4-day conference called SEEK (Save the Earth’s Environment through Knowledge).

This year’s conference attracted nearly equal numbers of girls (54%) and boys (46%).  Almost half (44%) of the participants were entering 12th grade.  The rest were entering 11th grade (34%) or 10th grade (24%).  All left the conference with new friends, new insights, and fond memories.

Conference highlights included a field trip to the Florida Museum of Natural History to see the Butterfly Rainforest and the Megalodon (Shark) exhibit.  The group also traveled to San Felasco Hammock State Preserve and Blue Springs Park to learn about Florida’s springs and local flora and fauna, cool off with a swim, and enjoy an outdoor barbecue.

Students watched and critiqued An Inconvenient Truth, discussed solid waste disposal, and visited UF’s first “green” building, Rinker Hall, a LEED Gold structure.  Participants learned about the longleaf pine and wiregrass ecosystem that once covered most of Florida.  They heard talks about right whales and manatees.  They followed the path of stormwater runoff, took a plant identification hike, and competed in an ecosystem scavenger hunt.

In a session titled “Youth Making a Difference,” nearly 20 participants described their own community service activities and environmental activism.  In another session, teams of students developed proposals designed either to answer a scientific question or to address an environmental problem.  An entertaining and motivating presentation by David Stiller, the “Lightening Stalker,” rounded out the conference.

Many of this year’s participants departed saying that they want to return next year.  However, SEEK 2008 will be held in a new location.  Due to other commitments, UF-CPET is simply unable to continue to host the annual conference.

 
So . . . SEEK is moving. We are currently researching alternative locations for SEEK 2008.

Stay tuned!   Please continue to check this website for information about where and when SEEK 2008 will be held.