Recently, students from East Allegheny participated in a poster session at the Student Sustainability Design Challenge (SSDC) hosted by the Consortium for Public Education. The challenge helped students understand how addressing local issues can have a real-world impact on global problems.

Seniors Reily Fenters and Chanera Plummer-Gay, junior Darius Martin, and sophomore Anastasia Lucas researched local air quality issues, specifically radon and sulfur dioxide. Their informational poster presented their findings and educated the public about the importance of home radon testing and the health impacts of sulfur dioxide.

“They are encouraging families to test their homes for radon due to its harmful effects,” explains Holly Spallone, the high school Science Department Head. “They’re also raising awareness about the sulfur dioxide often found in our air, particularly from the mills.”

We are incredibly proud of how these emerging researchers presented their findings at the event. Their project will also be featured at the annual STEM Night on Thursday, April 10, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the high school Digital Learning Center.

In 2015, UN member states created the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an ambitious blueprint to promote health, wellness, peace, and prosperity worldwide. Student programs like the SSDC provide students with opportunities to explore how they can contribute to making their communities and the world more sustainable, ultimately improving outcomes for everyone.