By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira

The Knight Center has awarded grants to four Michigan high schools to support collaboration between their journalism and environmental science classes. Their projects bring together scientific research and student storytelling while also connecting schools with professional mentors who guide the work.

The grants go to:

• Manchester Junior/Senior High School in Manchester for a project centered on its long- running greenhouse program. Environmental science students grow and care for plants while learning sustainable practices, and journalism students document the process through stories, photo essays and video reports. The content will be shared through school publications, social media and local outlets, providing information to the community about sustainable agriculture and student work.

The teachers are Randy Smith and Carla Zygner.

• The School at Marygrove in Detroit for a project focused on studying a natural area known as The Grove. Environmental science students research the health of the ecosystem and track environmental changes over time, while journalism students create multimedia stories to make those findings accessible to a broader audience. The project aims to raise awareness and encourage better environmental decision-making in the community

The teachers are Kerry Williams and Alistair Bomphray.

• Huron High School in Ann Arbor for a project focused on renovating the school’s community and rain gardens while raising awareness of their environmental benefits. Environmental Systems and Sustainability students and the Greenhouse Club will improve the gardens and study their impact on biodiversity, while staff from the school newspaper, The Huron Emery, document the process through photos, articles and social media. Coverage will include a photo story, weekly updates and a news article featuring student perspectives, along with continued reporting on the Millers Creek Watershed Improvement Plan through interviews and field visits.

The teachers are Sara-Beth Badalamente and Nicole Lemon.

• Troy Athens High School in Troy for a project examining the impact of invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. Environmental science students study the species’s life cycle and ecological effects, while journalism students produce multimedia coverage including documentaries and interviews with experts and policymakers. The work features the connection between science, public policy and environmental protection.

The teachers are Michelle Dodson and Adam Burns.

The Knight Center created the grant program to encourage journalism and science teachers to design innovative classroom projects where students can report on field research, either their own or that conducted by environmental science peers. The program focuses on several key objectives:

• Giving aspiring journalists a deeper understanding of scientific research and the ability to communicate it clearly to the public
• Helping environmental science students learn to share their work effectively through media channels
• Facilitating an education in STEM, environmental awareness and strong communication skills among high school students

By incorporating hands-on scientific investigation with journalistic reporting, these projects give students real-world experience while raising awareness about critical environmental issues in their communities.

Isabella Figueroa Nogueira