If you want to join this great network of YES! teams, contact us at sayyes@yesmn.org
2020-2021 YES! Teams
Carlton High School
- Worked with local organization, school administration, and custodial staff to explore composting as a way to recycle organic waste from their school
- Gave virtual presentations for middle school classes about climate change
- Created an energy scavenger hunt for middle school students to do at home
- Conducted a survey to gather student ideas regarding environmental issues within their school
- Researched plants to buy for classrooms in their school to improve air quality
- Participated in a community clean-up event where students helped rake leaves and pick up trash around their community
Lac qui Parle Valley High School
- Kayaked Signalness (Mountain) Lake at Glacial Lakes State Park to learn about aquatic invasive species and water quality
- Collected prairie seeds in Benson with US Fish and Wildlife expert to be used in other restoration projects
- Collected and recycled over 40 pounds of holiday lights and 25 pounds of markers
Mankato West High School
- Created an informational video on the potential of solar energy in their school and community for the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) Solar on Schools Video Contest and received 1st place and were awarded $5,000
- Continued to investigate cost, feasibility, and impact of installing solar panels or a solar demonstration site at Mankato West
- Planned and hosted an environmental week at their school to teach students about how they can be more environmentally conscious and get involved in climate activism
Minnewaska Schools
- Completed the Lights! Water! Action! Home Energy Kits at their homes to increase energy efficiency and water conservation awareness
- Assessed the energy usage of each classroom at their school and then educated staff and students within the school about how to reduce their use
- Designed and installed pollinator boxes at their middle school and learned about the benefits of native prairie plants
New London-Spicer Middle School
- Completed the Lights! Water! Action! Home Energy Kits at their homes to increase energy efficiency and water conservation awareness
New London-Spicer High School
- Harvested and spread native prairie seeds in their rain garden
- Worked on designing a sign for their rain garden
- Completed the Lights! Water! Action! Home Energy Kits at their homes to increase energy efficiency and water conservation awareness
- Planned to install bike repair stations along the trail by their school to promote alternative transportation
Royalton High School
- Learned about energy insecurity in developing countries through the We Share Solar program and then built a stand-alone 12-volt DC solar power system by using the We Share Solar Suitcase kit. The suitcase was deployed to Uganda where it will be installed in a classroom.
- Finished building 2 more E-bikes for a total of 3 to demonstrate the use of alternative energies. Students loved riding them!
- Started a feasibility study on the best approach to compost school lunch waste.
- Took a field trip to Camp Ripley Environmental Learning Center to learn about renewable energy, water quality and habitat restoration projects.
Sleepy Eye (Public and St. Mary’s) High Schools
- Collected seeds from one of their pollinator gardens to make seed bombs to redistribute
- Collected and recycled 1,117 pounds of used holiday lights – the team’s largest collection drive ever!
- Maintained their prairie restoration plots at the Sleepy Eye Golf Course
- Presented lessons for all K-3rd graders during an Earth Week Celebration to raise environmental awareness in their school
- Participated in River Watch by monitoring two locations and submitting the water quality data to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Knitted plarn sleeping mats for the homeless out of used plastic shopping bags
Springfield High School
- Created an indoor hydroponics system to grow lettuce
- Collected and recycled 500 pounds of holiday lights from the community
- Created Earth Day Posters to celebrate and raise awareness about the environment
- Picked up trash around the community
Westbrook-Walnut Grove High School
- Developed and hosted a week of school-wide activities to teach other students about the impacts of carbon emissions from vehicles and promote less-polluting transportation choices
- Planned to shovel snow outside local businesses to raise awareness about climate change in Southern MN
- Donated over 257,000 pop tabs to the Ronald McDonald house in Sioux Falls
- Continued to improve their West End Reclamation project area by building a 0.2 mile walking path and an outdoor sheltered picnic area, planting trees and native prairie plants, placing solar lights, creating a 3-hole disc golf course where the targets are made with used bike wheels and other recycled parts, installing a statue made by a local artist and more!
Yellow Medicine East High School
- Continued work on their community garden and orchard with the help of their elementary students
“It feels good to make a difference in the environment and bringing positive changes to our school.” –YES! Student
