Local students honored for commitment to conservation

Young environmentalists put their pens to paper recently to support preserving the Cape Region.

Winner Emma White, a fifth-grader at the Southern Delaware School of the Arts, used her experience at the beach to write an impassioned essay in support of conservation.

“We want others to be able to enjoy finding sand crabs on the beach and waiting for that next crab on a string, just as much as I do,” she wrote.

Emma won first place in this year's Coast Day essay contest sponsored by the University of Delaware.

There were 117 entries including six Delaware school districts in this year's contest, said Chris Petrone, Delaware Sea Grant marine education specialist and essay contest coordinator.

“The essay contest provides students with an opportunity to think more deeply about their local environment, research local issues and reflect upon their experiences in nature,” Petrone said. “These are important facets to consider as these students will one day be our decision makers, voters, parents and stewards of our environment.”

Coast Day is an annual showcase of the efforts by UD scientists, staff and students to increase understanding of the ocean and coastal communities, he said.

The second-place winner was Adelle Leebel, and third place went to Lily Manlove. Both students attend Shields Elementary.

The top three winners received bookstore gift cards and $100 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third. Winners and their families also toured the Robotic Discovery Laboratories in the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean and Environment's School of Marine Science and Policy in Lewes.

Honorable mention awards were given to Raymond McCall and Nicholas Rode, both of Rehoboth Elementary School, and Zoe Tuttle, a student in Lord Baltimore Elementary School in Ocean View.

Winning essay

Look at the waves crashing, the beautiful blue water and hear the seagulls squawking. I love the feeling of the hot sand on my feet. Guess where I am? Exploring one of my favorite places! The beach!

I love to look for the sand and fiddler crabs burrowing out in the sand. I usually take a bucket and a shovel out to where the water and sand meet and dig up some of the holes there because that is where most of the fiddler crabs live. I put a little water and sand in my bucket and put the crabs in and watch them play with each other. Sometimes they play rough and try to hurt each other. I soon have to take them back to their natural habitat so they can survive. Sometimes when we are on the beach, we find where people have left behind their trash, which really makes me upset. This could really harm these little crabs and other animals that live near the water.

I also love to go crabbing off the piers at the beach. We used string and a chicken leg. We would tie one end to the pier and throw the other end in the water. We always catch a lot this way, but sometimes we also find some other things that don't belong in the water, like plastic bottles and other trash. This also can’t be good for the ecosystem and we always clean up whatever we find.

I hope everyone will keep our beaches clean because keeping beaches clean is great for the environment. According to the Department of Natural Resources website, there is a neat program called Adopt-A-Beach. This is where groups of people, caring enough to make a difference in their community, volunteer to conduct at least four cleanups in two years. Cleanups take place each year during the spring and the summer, from April 15 to May 15, and again from the middle of August to September. Participants may also add other cleanups and provide The Department with trash bags, gloves, and some report forms for information gathered during their activities.

We all have to take part in conserving the beach and our other natural resources! We want others to be able to enjoy finding sand crabs on the beach and waiting for that next crab on a string just as much as I do!

Emma White, fifth-grader Southern Delaware School of the Arts