My name is Agnes Barthel, and I am a recent graduate of Harbor City International School (HCIS) in Duluth. Looking back on my time at Harbor City International School, I’m grateful for all of the hands-on environmental projects I had the opportunity to be part of. At HCIS, our Action Club Team took on a variety of environmental initiatives and collaborated closely with Youth Eco Solutions. We
Recycle Your Holiday Lights: A Greener Way to Celebrate the Season
The holiday season is filled with festive cheer, sparkling lights, and joy shared with loved ones. But what happens when those twinkling holiday lights stop working? Too often, old and broken holiday lights end up in the trash, contributing to unnecessary waste. This year, make a positive impact by participating in a holiday light recycling program like Youth Eco Solutions (YES)'s Holiday Light
Clearing the Path: YES Teams Combat Invasive Buckthorn to Restore New London-Spicer School Forest
On November 6th, the YES Teams at New London-Spicer Schools worked in shifts from 9:15 - 2:15 to remove invasive buckthorn plants from their school forest. Buckthorn is a noxious weed that was introduced to Minnesota in the 1850s as an ornamental plant, however it quickly began to spread and outcompete native species. Buckthorn owes its prolific ability to outcompete native plants to its hardiness
Kicking Off the 18th Season: A Day of Inspiration at Prairie Woods
On Wednesday, October 9, Youth Eco Solutions (YES) launched its 18th Season at the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center in Spicer, Minnesota. With 120 YES Students from eight teams across the state, the atmosphere was electric as we engaged in a variety of inspiring activities. Exploring GIS Mapping for Conservation One of the day's highlights was a session on GIS
Cultivating Connections at the 2023-2024 YES Spring Showcase
On May 11th, YES Staff, Students, Coaches and community members gathered at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center to celebrate the 2023-2024 YES Season with an exciting new event, the YES Spring Showcase. The goal of this event was to gather together, celebrate the accomplishments of our students and to give them an opportunity to present about their projects and learn about what other
Solar Energy Workshop with Cooperative Energy Futures
On April 22nd, YES Students from several southern Minnesota schools had the opportunity to learn about solar energy production and community solar thanks to our friends at Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF). In attendance were 20 students from Mankato East High School, Mankato West High School and Sleepy Eye Public Schools along with their coaches and YES Staff. We gathered together at Mankato East
