Aiden An

Young people in Benin, a country in West Africa, march to raise awareness about the effects of trash and pollution on the environment. 

Earth Guardians (EG) is a youth-driven nonprofit organization. The group is dedicated to helping the environment at the local level. Founded by activist Tamara Roske in 1992, EG’s mission is to involve young people in enhancing their communities. 

To learn more about the group’s efforts, I recently spoke with Emmy Scott via Zoom. As EG’s executive director, Scott helps to organize crews of participants worldwide. Crew members range in age from 13 to 30. There are currently more than 500 crews in 61 countries working on environmental projects.

Scott points to several EG initiatives that have made a difference for the environment. One led to the planting of more than 10,000 trees in Africa. In Colorado, crew members created a xeriscape garden, which requires little or no irrigation.

Seeking solutions to the climate crisis has been central to Scott’s work. “I always tell people that my job is putting out fires, which is just solving challenges,” she said.

In her role, Scott also meets with companies that want to create their own environmental initiatives.

Members of Earth Guardians create digital content that will help tell the story of their environmental efforts. Executive Director Emmy Scott is seated second from left.

INSPIRED BY YOUNG PEOPLE

Scott said that she and members of her team are motivated by young people eager to make a difference. “I get inspired by people who are able to show the passion they have for themselves and their communities and express it in really positive ways, like art or activism,” she said.

Scott hopes that even more young people will join a crew in support of their community. “I would love to see youth of all ages,” she said, “really feel like they have the power to decide what their future is going to look like.” 

The Institute for Educational Advancement offers high school sholarships for gifted students. 

Every spring, seventh graders across the United States apply for a Caroline D. Bradley (CDB) Scholarship. The four-year scholarship enables students to attend the high school of their choice. Between 25 and 30 seventh graders are chosen annually by the Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA), which administers the program. After 18 years at the Institute, Bonnie Raskin, the CDB Scholarship program director, is retiring.

“Watching kids mature and develop is what motivates me and my peers at IEA,” Raskin told me during a recent interview via video.

The IEA, which is based in Pasadena, California, is a nonprofit organization. Its goal is to meet the needs of gifted students across the country. For generations of CDB Scholars, Raskin has served as an invaluable advisor and role model. She, in turn, is proud of the students who are able to find an academic path they truly love.

“It takes a lot of resilience to try something new,” Raskin said. She sees value in starting out as a “generalist rather than a specialist,” and embracing exploration.

In her spare time, student mentor Bonnie Raskin helps shelter dogs find homes. 

APPLYING SKILLS TO A NEW ENDEAVOR

Before joining the IEA, Raskin was a television producer. She said that the role helped her strengthen her communication skills.

“You have an opportunity to do lots of different things in your lifetime,” Raskin told me. “You can take skills from one place and apply them to another.”

Raskin is also an animal lover. In her spare time, she works with Wags and Walks, a dog-rescue group that helps shelter dogs find homes.

Raskin hopes that more students will apply to the CDB Scholarship, which opens doors for gifted students and helps them flourish. For seventh graders interested in applying, applications are due on April 10, 2024.