Yes is an organization that helps teach kids about keeping our environment clean and healthy. I joined YES out of curiosity, and YES is a cool thing to do. YES is an organization that helps kids learn how to keep the environment clean.
My favorite thing that we did in YES is the YES kickoff. During the kickoff, I learned about a program called Get The Lead Out. This organization helps keep lead from getting into oceans and harming wildlife. Lead is often used by people who like to fish, and often, these people don’t know that their tackle has lead in it. Get The Lead Out has helped create fishing tackle that doesn’t have any lead in it so that we can help keep the fish safe.
Also during the kickoff, I learned about the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota. The Boundary Waters is a beautiful region of wildlife, and in the Boundary Waters, no motorized vehicles are allowed. This ensures that the lakes will not become polluted. Pollution is a major issue in many parts of the world. Pollution can have many negative effects, including harming the ecosystem. The Boundary Waters is a very beautiful place, and it is only accessible by portaging in canoes. I have had the wonderful opportunity of going to the Boundary Waters, and it is truly a wonderful place. It has a calming effect, and it shows how the ecosystem would be without all the pollution.
Also during the YES kickoff, I learned about testing the water quality of lakes. We got into groups and each group took a bucket and scooped some water from the lake. Then, we took a microscope and a plastic dropper and we looked more closely at the organisms in the water. In my group, we found a few water snails and a tiny spider. Looking at the amount of creatures that live in the water is important because you can determine how healthy the lake is. Checking the water quality is also important.
Overall, I had a lot of fun at the YES kickoff and made many new friends. Another one of my favorite experiences with YES is teaching the 5th graders at our school the importance of picking seeds in the prairie. We split into groups, and each group went with a group of 5th graders out to the prairie to collect seeds before the snow came. We taught the 5th graders how to pick seeds the right way, and what kinds of seeds to pick. It was fun teaching the little kids about why keeping our environment clean was important. We went out and picked seeds with them, and we helped them whenever they were in error. Another fun activity I participated in through YES is a special week planned to teach kids about saving the environment. The YES team put together a week with each day dedicated to a specific way to help our environment. For example, on Tuesday we did a Tropical Tuesday, where kids could dress up in tropical clothes and learn about why we don’t open windows or doors when the heat/air conditioner is on. On Wednesday, we did a Wasteless Wednesday, where kids would wear either blue or green and learn about using reusable water bottles and not wasting food. Throughout the week we did a toy drive where kids could bring in gently used toys to give to the preschoolers at our school. To make it more fun, we gave the grade that had the most toys cookies. I had a lot of fun planning this YES week and giving out cookies to the grade that brought in the most toys.
Overall, I think that YES is a great program and that every kid should be in YES. I have learned a lot about the environment and ways to save it through YES. Environments have been changing a lot because of air pollution, littering, wasting water and food, and many other reasons. Everything you do impacts the environment. Every little piece of trash that you throw, every bit of food that you waste, all of these things can impact the environment, which is why we should be careful about our actions. Try to save as much water, food, and electricity as possible, and try to recycle more. YES is a great program for kids who want to learn how they can help make the world a better place. It is a privilege to be in YES, as many good opportunities will come your way.
