2024-2025 Fairchild Challenge at Phipps: Challenge #4 Winners Announced!

By Quinn Zelinski

High School Winners

In High School Challenge #4: “In the News,” high school students were challenged to critically analyze and respond to an article about an environmental justice issue. We asked them to evaluate the article's claims and dial in on what the information is conveying, how it’s being expressed, and if the claims should be supported or challenged. From the impacts of redlining to the Flint, Michigan water crisis, students were challenged to think of climate issues in correlation with equity issues. To convey this, students wrote a research paper based on multiple reliable news sources. Scientific reports, reputable articles, government reports, and other sources were used to make these students’ analyses come alive. The submissions we received for this challenge were incredibly detailed. The judges for this challenge were thoroughly impressed with the level of work that was brought to the table. All the schools that participated should be very proud of their students for their incredible work! 

And the winners are:

 

First: Piper Munyon, Gateway High School

"Climate change: crisis or cliché? Fox News published an article written by Alex Nitzberg titled “Bernie Sanders takes heat for blaming California wildfires on climate change: ‘Global warming ate my homework’,” which claims that California wildfires are not caused by climate change; however, it is proven through various other trusted sources that this article contains misinformation on both the cause of California wildfires as well as the dangers of climate change..." Read the rest of Piper's paper here. 

 

Second: Braiden Bartkins, Shaler High School

"Air pollution is an issue that affects towns and cities all across America, but who does it mainly affect? It is a topic in the discussion of environmental justice: the idea that environmental issues in America are aimed more at minority groups and poor communities than others living in advantaged areas. A research study from the University of California, Berkeley, claims that air pollution indeed follows this formula. This statement is correct, and there is plenty of evidence to support that this issue is no minor injustice. Air pollution is already a problem by itself, but a second layer of evil is added onto the issue when looked at through the lens of environmental equality..." Read the rest of Braiden's paper here.

 

Third: Avantika Goswami, North Allegheny High School

"An ABC News article, titled “The power of us: How climate change has disproportionately impacted vulnerable communities in the US,” highlights the disproportionate effects of climate change on vulnerable communities, emphasizing issues such as health disparities, increased natural disasters, and systemic inequalities. According to the article, low-income communities face higher risks from climate change and are more susceptible to environmental hazards due to lack of infrastructure. As extreme weather conditions are exacerbated by warming global temperatures causing increased heat waves, hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, and other severe natural calamities, the need for a well-equipped infrastructure to protect us from them is a must. But vulnerable communities have been in dire straits for decades, due to their lack of resources, unsuitable housing environments, inadequate access to proper facilities and unsafe working conditions. Therefore, these factors have further exposed them to the dark side of nature..." Read the rest of Avantika's paper here.

 

Special Merit: Abigail Maher, Shaler High School

In the past fifty years a rise in childhood chronic conditions has been recorded. These conditions include, but are not limited to, asthma, obesity, and various neurodevelopmental disorders, and low-income communities, specifically in the Rust Belt, are where the highest concentrations of these diseases are recorded. This phenomenon can even be recorded in local Pittsburgh communities. One study conducted by State Impact Pennsylvania reports, “Pittsburgh-area children living near steel mills, power plants and other large sources of pollution had ‘nearly triple’ the national rate of childhood asthma, according to a new peer-reviewed study”(Frazier). The article also notes that said areas facing this issue are low-income and largely populated by minorities..." Read the rest of Abigail's paper here.

 

Middle School Winners:

In Middle School Challenge 4: “Looking Through the Lens,” the concept was to tell a story through three photos that highlight the influence of nature. Each photo was accompanied by a short paragraph from the student about the picture itself and the reason why they chose to capture this image. They were told to imagine what role these images have played in their lives, community, or an even broader context. Beautiful landscapes are easy to capture in photographs, but the meaning to the person taking it is even more beautiful, and these students had some amazing stories to portray. Each of the judges was thoroughly impressed with, and touched by the submissions. They loved the thought, effort, and creativity that came with each of the pieces.  All of the schools that participated should be very proud of their students for their incredible work! 

And the winners are:

First (tied): Corey Shipe, Elizabeth Forward Middle School

Caption: "As day turns to night, the sun rests upon the Appalachian mountains. The tourist attractions’ visitors fade away. The soldiers, once fighting the battle known as the turning point of the Civil War about 150 years ago, get ready to catch up on some sleep. The pink and purple hue painted across the sky, beautiful and bright, sits atop the Pennsylvania monument far in the distance, and the battlefield, where the battle of Gettysburg was brutally fought for the freedom of four million slaves."

Caption: "The meanders of the Shenandoah River, like West Virginia, wild and wonderful. The Blue Ridge Mountains, straight in a line like an army. Green trees, sprouting like children in a candy store. Clouds in the sky, like inner-city traffic, lined up in rows, moving slowly. Except, in the wilderness, there is no traffic. There are no tall buildings. There are no industrial factories. In the countryside, there is no industrialized life, no apartment buildings, no fancy restaurants. In the countryside, there is a simple, peaceful way of life that millions of people enjoy, but others will never even know exists."

Caption: "The pink haze resting on the mountain tops. The Appalachian mountains, sitting tall and mighty. The trees, near and far, stand straight like a soldier. The grasses, dancing in the wind like ballerinas. The shrubbery and underbrush, stiff as a soldier. The clouds cover the sky like a blanket on a cold night. The wildflowers, perfect like a warm glass of milk right before bed." 

 

First (tied) In order: Brianna Ibarra-Romano, Amelia Dulaney, Eliza Flowers, Keystone Oaks Middle School

 

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Second: Lyla Moody and Tori Van Estenberg, Wendover Middle School

 

Third: Arden Wyke-Shiring, Archangel Gabriel Middle School

 

Special Merit (In Order): Abby Washinski, Aria DeGarmo, Violet Pfeifer, Fort Cherry School District

Caption: "I titled this photograph "End of Evening" due to the wave of sadness and loss this image evokes in me. The perfect yellow sphere of sun soon to disappear behind the waves conjures in me feelings equivalent to someone or something of value that will soon to be lost forever. This picture makes me believe that no other sunset will ever be as beautiful as this one. My sister is a senior in high school and currently struggling with the tears and fears that she will soon graduate the district that has been her extended home and family for thirteen years."

 

Caption: "I titled this photograph Refresh and Renew because of the waves/ behavior at the end of a busy Saturday at the shore. Leaving at dusk, I was struck by the water's ability to erase hundreds of human footprints left in the cooling sand. Dawn would reveal a pristine beach ready for a new start. I revisited this image frequently during the highs and lows of my cross-country season. Regardless of where I placed in an afternoon race, the tide of evening erased my results, and the next morning I had to put new footprints on the course."

Caption: "I titled this photograph Water Wonders because of the overwhelming power created by the rushing force of this awe inspiring waterfall. Water is most natural and beautiful when flowing freely and unrestrained. Water grows in power, when it joins with more water thus increasing its force, scale, and magnitude. The same can be said of the power of people working together. Alone my family can help another family supplement their Thanksgiving meal. However, working together as a school community this past fall, our district supplied a local food bank with one hundred complete family-of-four meals for its Thanksgiving food drive."

 

Special Merit (In order): Katherine Pisani, Isabella Smith, Alex Oberdacker, Ave Maria Academy

 

 

 

Elementary School Highlights

 

In Elementary School Challenge C: “Green Your Classroom,” students drew their ideal green classroom! With a labeled drawing and a short description of their ideas, students created beautiful classroom designs with recycling, plants, LED lighting, and more. They aimed to create a happier environment for students and teachers in their classes and to create a healthier environment with these sustainable practices. We loved the creativity and ideas of our young participants, and the judges did too!

Some of our favorite creations: 

Lily Dowing, Gateway-Fort Cherry Elementary School

Juno Leonardi-Line and Giuliana Delsandro, Tenth Street Elementary School

Riley Sarver, Kinley Williams, Isaac Harrison, Gabe Godart, Aubrey Signer, Charlie Patton, Wilmington Area Elementary School

 

 

We are so proud of the work from each student and school! We look forward to seeing future submissions and wish everyone a very sunny and sustainable Spring!