Kids at Work: Students on the Front Lines of Environmental Defense

Aqua Cops

Young people who care about local water set sail and take action. At the New York Harbor School, students join forces with local environmental groups to regularly monitor the health of water.
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Coastal Counting

By counting, measuring, and identifying stingrays, sharks, and skates, as well as bottom fish, high school students help scientists make connections between human activities, natural events, and the health of coastal waters.
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Mollusk Monitors

Can counting and measuring clams help environmental agencies make smarter decisions about conservation and land management? Absolutely. Just ask students who gather this important data.
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Fishy Business

After cleaning up a local stream, the United Anglers of Casa Grande revived the trout population and then added to it by creating a hatchery. Working with marine scientists, they aspire to protect and enrich trout and salmon species, using only donations to stay afloat.
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Eyes on Eggs

Kids watch nests to give scientists a better understanding of how changes in land use and climate impact birds, while learning about fine-feathered parenting at the same time.
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Trashing Trash

At one annual coastal-cleanup day, thousands of volunteers, many of them school-age kids, pick up trash along coastal and inland waterways, canyons, and streets. During a recent outing, more than 5,000 volunteers compiled roughly 45,000 tons of trash and recyclables at sixty sites.
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Air Traffic

By observing birds in backyards, on balconies, and at rooftop gardens, kids give scientists insights into the areas urban birds prefer.
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Take a Breather

Visibility Volunteers take air-quality readings on hikes in states ranging from Maine to Virginia, creating data that will be used for public education as well as to improve air-quality laws.
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Seeing Spots

Data from kids counting ladybugs give scientists a better grasp on why native species seem to be disappearing.
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Best Buds

Citizen scientists of all ages check the effects of climate change in their own backyards, noting details such as plant and tree blooms to help scientists determine the role and impact of global warming.
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Brave Newt World

Salamanders breathe through their skin, which makes them valuable indicators in determining air quality. No wonder researchers welcome the data students gather about these amphibians.
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