By Kenneth Rainer, HRI Education Specialist

I would like to begin by having the reader imagine the following scenario. You walk into a large room full of posters of projects all geared towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The air is resonating with words and thoughts that you have built your education and life around. You walk around a row of posters and the presenters notice and perk up, take their heads out of the latest popular novel, and become fidgety with anticipation that you will step up to their poster allowing them to pour out their heart and soul. You walk up to a poster; the presenter greets you and shakes your hand. They guide you through their scientific process of how they discovered that improperly treated wood commonly used to build playgrounds can be potentially toxic, causing arsenic poisoning in children, and why parents and cities leaders should be concerned. They finish up by asking if you have any questions. At this point your jaw is on the floor and you are absolutely dumbstruck, not only because of the implications of arsenic position in a widely used public space but also because the presenter is a second grader. Now back to reality. This scenario actually occurred and was a very common occurrence at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s 23rd Annual Coastal Bend Science Fair on April 30.

It was my privilege to represent the Harte Research Institute in the special awards category by selecting and presenting the “Make a Difference” award to four students. In order for projects to qualify they must have a coastal/marine environmental conservation theme. During interviews, the students must convey that they understand the potential implications their research can have in the real world. They also need to express a sincere connection and desire to continue their research in order to make a difference for present and future generations.

The winners of the 2011 HRI Make a Difference Award were:

• Kendall Leal and Addison Carrillo (Kindergarten) for "Clean up: A project regarding oil spill cleanup on coastal habitats"
• Ryan Guerra (2nd grade) for "How Oil Spills Affect Marine Life: A project looking at how oil would potentially affect different marine organisms"
• Lauren Gonzales (5th grade) for "Arctic Blasts: A project looking at how different mechanisms allow marine mammals to survive in extreme cold environments"
• Yoseph Mahmoud (8th grade) for "Operation Oil Spill: A comprehensive project that encompassed the development, testing, implementation and marketing of a filter to remove oil from contaminated marine environments"

One of my favorite quotes is “In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” - Baba Dioum

Since I am an educator, this quote carries a great deal of meaning and truth, because it is my life-long ambition to continuously instill the same passion, fervor, respect and love I have for science and the natural wonders of planet Earth. After attending the Coastal Bend Science Fair, for the first time, I am fully confident and comforted to know that not only are there educators with similar ambitions (as seen through their students’ projects), but students, even as young as five years old and I am sure younger, already molding and building the same passion, fervor, respect and love for science and the environment. To be quite honest, it is very difficult to put into words the respect I have for these students, their parents and their educators. Congratulations to everyone that presented a project and to the recipients of the “Make a Difference” award. All of you have fantastic future ahead of you.