SAN ANTONIO – A statewide competition promoting environmental protection has reached the semifinals. Four of the six contestants are from San Antonio.
Three of the students attend Straus Middle School, a school within the Northside Independent School District. They are among the top contenders in the “Take Care of Texas” competition hosted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
The competition invites middle school students to create 30-second commercials to encourage environmental awareness and action.
The finalists were narrowed down from a large pool of submissions and were chosen based on creativity and the effectiveness of their message.
“It was a big shock,” said Ruth Smith, a seventh-grade student at Straus Middle School.
Madelyn Franks, another 7th-grade student from Straus, echoed her surprise.
“I did not think I would get one of six in the whole state,” Franks said.
Franks' classmate, Makaio Danford, shared similar sentiments.
“I was very surprised because I thought there were going to be so many people who also made good videos,” Danford said.
Despite their collective surprise, the students' passion for the environment is clear.
Franks, who enjoys hiking with her family, spoke about her environmental concerns.
“I really do hope I can make a difference,” Franks said. “Keeping the environment safe is very important to me.”
The students' efforts aren’t just limited to their school projects.
Smith, who often takes on the responsibility of encouraging her siblings to recycle, shared her experience teaching her younger siblings about the importance of environmental care.
“They just roll their eyes and walk away,” Smith laughed, though she said was determined to keep trying.
Voting for the top three finalists will run through Jan. 24. The winners will receive gift cards worth $800, $600 and $400, respectively.
Regardless of the outcome, the students' messages remain clear: taking care of the environment is vital for the future.
“It’s important to take care of the environment because it’s one of the reasons we’re still here,” Danford said. “The environment gives us plants, air, food and happiness.”
Dahae Kim, another student from Northside ISD’s Dr. John Folks Middle School, is also a semifinalist.
For more information on voting, click here.
