The Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force will hold its annual Youth Summit on May 4 at Presque Isle State Park in Erie.

Approximately 750 students will participate in workshops, field trips and activities with the help of community partners including: S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie, PA Sea Grant Program, Presque Isle Audubon Society, NW PA Duck Hunters Association, North East Fishing and Hunting Association, Lake Erie Ultimate Angler, Millcreek Firefighters, Gander Mountain, PA Fish and Boat Commission, Game Commission, and the naturalists from Presque Isle State Park.

This year participants are scheduled to be involved from these schools and organizations: Blessed Sacrament School, Edison Elementary, Glenwood Elementary,

Hermitage Middle School, Holy Family School, J.S. Wilson Middle School, John Horan Garden Apartments, Klein Elementary, Neighborhood Art House, Saint Boniface School, Strong Vincent High School, North East Middle School, North East High School, Villa Maria Elementary, JR PLEWA (Junior PA Lake Erie Watershed Association), Girl Scout Troop 636 and Wattsburg Area Middle School.

The Youth Summit is a culmination of the school year in which Earth Force students worked on youth driven projects exploring innovative ways of environmental problem solving to improve the quality of life in western Pennsylvania.

At the summit, the students will celebrate their success, share what they have learned in addressing local environmental issues and make plans to continue their work in the next school year.

Earth Force students use the 6 step Earth Force process for their projects.

¡°We tell them to look around their community and learn about what environmental issues are there, and they choose one they feel passionate about and that is of real concern to the community,¡± said Earth Force Education Director Margarita Dangel, OSB. ¡°Then they do a lot of research and talk to people in the community about what is being done on this issue or what needs to be done. They create a project plan, a task and a time line. They actually get an opportunity to write grants. They have to tell us what they want and why they need the money, and then they get to put their projects into action.¡±

For more information contact: Susan A. Smith 814-899-2572 or by email to: susanasmith@adelphia.net

4/29/2005