NEW: Oakmont Students Work for Environmental Change in Lexus Eco Challenege

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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

GoLocalWorcester News Team

A team of students from Oakmont Regional High School will compete in the sixth annual Lexus Eco Challenge, a national contest that encourages middle and high school students to develop and implement environmental programs that positively impact their communities.

The team, known as The Oakmont Environmental Association, has taken up the challenge of educating drivers on how to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by improving driving techniques. Students have handed out cards to all junior and senior homerooms, informing students of the importance of maintaining proper tire pressure, driving below 60 mph, maintaining a clean engine, and carpooling.

One habit the team focused on in particular was idling a car. Students created posters reminding all drivers to not let the engine run needlessly while waiting to pick someone up or while in the drive through. Bumper stickers and pledge cards were handed out at lunch on December 7.

The Lexus Eco Challenge, created by Lexus, the luxury automaker, and Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, was designed to educate young people about the environment and to inspire them to create a better world. The students at Oakmont have accepted the challenge by taking a stand and proving that a small group can bring about big changes.

Lexus and Scholastic will choose 16 winning teams nationwide. Each team will receive a total of $10,000 in grants and scholarships. All winning teams from this challenge and one other initial challenge will be invited to participate in the Final Challenge for a chance to win one of two grand prizes of $30,000 in grants and scholarships. Eight first-place prizes of $15,000 in grants and scholarships also will be awarded.

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