Peekskill Middle School Students Enhancing Community Sustainability through Wheelabrator Symposium

Peekskill, N.Y. — (April 8, 2015) — A group of Peekskill Middle School students are working to promote sustainability and sustainable practices at Depew Park, as well as monitor the overall quality of the health of Lake Mitchell, as part of their participation in the 21st annual Wheelabrator Symposium for Environment and Education.

To accomplish this, the Peekskill Middle School Environmental Club, along with city representatives, will conduct a study of Lake Mitchell in an effort to uncover the cause of excessive algae buildup that occurs within the lake. The students will attempt to discover the cause of any fluctuations in the quality of the water, such as variations in pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and nitrogen.

Along with the Lake Mitchell examination, the students will be working to clear and preserve sections of the extensive network of trails that cover Depew Park. Students will also look to raise awareness about the benefits of healthy ecosystems within Depew Park, and reinforce the responsibility local residents have in maintaining the park system for public enjoyment.

The Wheelabrator Symposium challenges middle school students to research, develop and implement long-term solutions to local environmental issues, working with their teachers and Wheelabrator employee-volunteers. It incorporates STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts and provides students with an interdisciplinary view of environmental issues and solutions.

A team of 10 Peekskill Middle School students will present their findings to a panel of educators, environmental experts and Wheelabrator employees at the Wheelabrator Symposium for Environment and Education in Baltimore, May 4-7, 2015. Student teams from 13 schools across Florida, the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic will participate in this year’s Environmental Symposium.

“The students are excited to get out into the community and help to improve and maintain both the trails and the lake at Depew Park,” said PKMS Environmental Club advisor Scott Tabone. “This park is a part of their community, a place where they grow up and spend so much of their time.”

“The students are proud that they get to help the Parks Advisory Board maintain the integrity of Depew Park, and they understand the responsibility they have as young environmentalists,” said PKMS Environmental Club advisor Liz Damiano. “It’s been a pleasure working with the City of Peekskill Parks Advisory Board and the Teatown Trail Stewards on this important community initiative.”

Wheelabrator’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond its day-to-day energy-from-waste operations and includes corporate social responsibility programs designed to foster environmental awareness, education and community engagement. For 21 years, the Wheelabrator Symposium for Environment and Education has been a cornerstone of the company’s efforts to help build sustainable communities and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders.

Headquartered in Hampton, New Hampshire, Wheelabrator creates clean, renewable energy from everyday residential and business waste. Wheelabrator has a current platform of 15 energy-from-waste facilities, four independent power-producing facilities, four ash monofills and three waste transfer stations. Wheelabrator has an annual waste processing capacity of over 7.4 million tons, and a total combined electric generating capacity of 768 megawatts — enough energy to power more than 645,000 homes. Wheelabrator facilities also recover metals from ash for recycling into commercial products. For more on Wheelabrator, please visit www.wtienergy.com.