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Irish Independent
29-04-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Greystones students to represent Wicklow at finals of Young Environmentalist Awards
The three students from Greystones Community College – Anna Dillane, Pola Kedziora and Lucy Tyndall – were chosen on the strength of their own project, which aims to raise awareness about waste management. The County Wicklow students are among 102 finalists from across the island of Ireland to have succeeded at the semi-final stages in March, and will now go on to showcase their shortlisted eco-projects at the finals next month. Their project, titled 'What a Waste!', focuses on raising awareness about waste management and encouraging better waste disposal practices and it has made it through to the 'Waste' category of the awards. The project addresses the issue of incorrect waste sorting and aims to engage students in finding solutions. They created a website, designed lessons for first and second year students, held assemblies, and organised a fundraising day to raise awareness about the impact of waste at school, local, national, and global levels. Remarking on their achievements, the principals of Greystones Community College, Ruairí Farrell said: 'It is a remarkable achievement for Greystones Community College students Anna, Pola and Lucy to be the only students from County Wicklow to reach the national final showcase of the Irish Young Environmentalist Awards, having successfully made it through the provincial rounds and semi-finals. "The students have left no stone unturned in raising awareness and reducing waste, having created a website, delivering lessons to junior students and hosting an awareness event. We are very proud of the positive environmental impact these impressive young change makers are having on the wider community'. The awards are an all-island programme that recognises the work of young people who are tackling key issues in relation to climate and biodiversity loss, taking environmental action in their school or community and coming up with creative solutions to solve environmental issues. Now in its 26th year, the YEA programme has reached people in every county of Ireland, with a total of over 65,000 young people participating and 6,000 projects entered down through the years. ECO-UNESCO is Ireland's environmental education and youth organisation and that works to conserve the environment and empower young people. Commenting on this year's YEA finalists, the national director of ECO-UNESCO, Elaine Nevin, said: 'The projects that have made it through to this year's Young Environmentalist Awards reflect the mission of Earth Day, the theme of which this year is 'Our Power, Our Planet' – a call to action highlighting the transformative power of young people and their role in creating a more sustainable and equitable future. "Earth Day 2025 encourages individuals, communities, and governments to take action by adopting renewable energy solutions, advocating for supportive policies, and participating in local and global initiatives. Through their projects, young people have taken the lead in raising awareness of critical environmental issues, inspiring change in their communities, and championing more sustainable lifestyles.'
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Generation ROC: Webster teens make successful business pitches
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Forget shaking off the shivers; two teen boys from Webster want you to start thinking about how you'll shake off the sand from your summer beach days. Tyler Lombardo and Dylan Peeso believe they have a solution with their innovative business idea. 'It's basically a spray-based formula that helps reduce the amount of sand that gets stuck to your skin,' Dylan said. 'We were just thinking like when you go to the beach, it's just a big problem that everybody has,' Tyler added. 'You don't want to get it in your car, all over your clothes.' 'We were trying to help beachgoers and families that love to go to the beach and try to help them have a better experience,' Dylan said. 'So being able to help other people is always one of the things I wanted to do, so that helped us do that.' And it really does work! After months of formula research and product testing, Tyler and Dylan just won funding for their idea through the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) competition in the Webster Central School District. The students are invited to find a problem and then make the solution. They meet local business owners who give them advice, traveled to the county clerk's office to have their brands registered, then compete at an investors panel: Shark Tank style! 'To have businesses come in that kids see on their bus ride into school,' said Webster Math and Business Director Jim McEntee. I mean, you're passing those businesses down Main St., Webster, and that guy is coming to our CEO luncheon later in the day to tell you why your business about making repel sand is going to work or why an app idea you have is great. They really do pick up a little bit of something from everybody, and it's a community of learners.' 'I didn't expect somebody who, I don't remember the last time I was able to go outside in shorts here in Webster, come up with a beach idea and solution,' said AJ Jasek, Webster business teacher and YEA instructor. 'Talking to investors and parents and local community members who came to the event for them to see that product that they came up with, it was a really brilliant idea.' Of the many cool concepts among their peers, Dylan and Tyler say they do not take this win or their first foray into real-world experience for granted. 'That's something that's huge for me, especially because I'm going to business for marketing,' Dylan said. So being able to market our product and get it out there, get the hands-on experience, was really good.' 'I do want to get into a business school to start my own business, but I also want to do trades,' said Tyler. 'So if I can get into a business school and trades at the same time, I'd want to get a business degree to open my own business.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
