By Sophie Bishop
Spring Judging is an important part of being in the YES! program. Spring Judging is when YES! teams present their work the past year to experts who have backgrounds in different environmental fields. After the presentations, the judges discuss the teams on goal setting and teamwork, community leadership and education, ecological impact and literacy, and separately on water stewardship. This year’s spring judging for the southern and metro YES! teams was at Gustavus Adolphus College Linnaeus Arboretum on April 29, 2019. Judges for the southern region included Nancy Fasching from Southwest Initiative Foundation, Annette Fiedler from Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), Mike Schultz from Le Sueur Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Jim Dontje from Gustavus Adolphus College (GAC), and Brigid Tuck from University of Minnesota Extension. We are very grateful for their time!
Results:
1st Place Award Recipient – Sleepy Eye YES! Team
- Outstanding teamwork within the team and the community. Great focus on making a lasting impact.
2nd Place Award Recipient – Westbrook-Walnut Grove YES! Team
- Appreciable commitment to their projects and making a difference in their community.
3rd Place Award Recipient – Minnetonka YES! Team
- Exceptional goal setting and leadership shown while planning projects.
Water Stewardship Award Recipient – New Prague YES! Team
- Remarkable work on different projects around water quality and learning about why water is important.
Quotes from students – What do you value about YES!?
“YES! gives us the opportunities to make a difference.” – Forest Lake student
“It gives us the opportunity to meet new people and work on one cause.” – Springfield student
“Being a part of a YES! team helps us grow our morals and respect.” – Sleepy Eye students
“I can use what I have learned in YES! in my future.” – Westbrook-Walnut Grove student
On behalf of the YES! staff, we would like to thank you again for all your amazing work on creating a better future on this planet and having the leadership to bring long standing change.
