Excerpts from ClimateCraft Student Reporting Contest
A big thanks to everyone who submitted to our 2022 ClimateCraft Student Reporting contest! None of the submissions fully addressed all four of our criteria.
However, we’re grateful to see young writers engage deeply with environmental science and community activism. We awarded $150 Honorable Mention prizes to the following three entrants:
- Royvi Hernandez, San Jose State University (alum) -center
- Xion Abiodun, Laney College – left
- Carolina Raciti, City College of San Francisco – right
Read excerpts from each of their submissions below.
Honorable Mention: Best interviewing skills
SJSU Garden Transcends Barriers by Royvi Hernandez
Excerpt: The San Jose State Black Women’s Collective (BWC) and Campus Community Garden hosted an event Monday night about the importance of nature and the influence it has on the community.
The Campus Community Garden was created to provide students a space to gain access to healthy food, learn about sustainable organic garden practices and earn service learning hours, according to its webpage.
Aisha Williams, environmental studies senior and president of BWC, said the purpose of the collaboration was to create a program centered around “Black culture and connect it with nature.”
“I want to be able to cultivate that atmosphere for others and myself,” Williams said. “This is my first time doing something like this and as a Black student at SJSU we don’t get a lot of programs like this, so being able to actually do it myself is different from being able to attend it.”
Honorable Mention: Most specific
Thousands of Fish Pop Up Dead in Oakland’s Lake Merritt by Xion Abiodun
Excerpt: The algae Heterosigma akashiwo is a natural occurrence that will happen once every few years. This particular type of algae has to be in the right conditions to grow and spread. It blooms when nutrients from human feces and warm water mix with it in its beginning stages. This happens when we flush the toilet, and that water is sent to the sewage systems. It eventually ends up in the San Francisco Bay, which spreads to the lake over time. Additionally, Heterosigma akashiwo will also turn waters into a soupy brown-reddish color as it spreads, coining it the nickname “red tide.”
Honorable Mention: Most personal
POV: Wishing Climate Change Wasn’t Trendy by Carolina Raciti
Excerpt: Personally, I am trying to reduce my consumption. I think twice or more about a purchase, to see if it’s something I really need. I often skip the purchase if I have time to do this conscious reflection. I also try to repair my stuff. If something can be mended or fixed I will try to re-use it. I find the Buy Nothing groups quite useful, not only for the free stuff you can score, but because sometimes you need items for what is most likely a one time use, and you can borrow from the community, tools or equipment. Most people are nice and want to help!
Other Ways to Share Stories
If you missed your chance to submit to ClimateCraft, we’ve got some good news: the editors are interested in working with professors and teachers to shape class storytelling projects covering climate resilience, social and biological sciences, and other topics. If you are an interested educator feel free to contact editor@kneedeeptimes.org and follow our monthly story releases.
KneeDeep Times is also accepting personal stories, photo essays, video, and more for our California Climate Quilt. We want to know all the little ways you and your community adapt to climate change — and this time, we’re inviting non-students to participate as well.
Other Recent Posts
Training Future Farmers To Grow More Than Food
At a Bay Area collective for BIPOC and queer farmers, Brooke Porter and Alexa Levy are fighting to build an inclusive food system from the soil up.
Don’t Tidy, Leave Winter Homes for Insects
Your messy garden might be saving beneficial insects. Before you reach for the rake, learn about how dead leaves and stems help pollinators overwinter.
Follow Us on Bluesky
KneeDeep Times is excited to share our news on Bluesky. You will no longer find us on Twitter/X.
Lighting a Fire Under K-12 Climate Literacy
In a sixth-grade Petaluma classroom, children are exploring how to make wind energy, fulfilling new state mandates to build climate literacy.
Can Sitting in Traffic Give You Parkinson’s?
A new study investigates whether long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution can increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s in three California counties.
Wildfire in the Big City?
San Francisco’s 2025 Hazards and Climate Resilience plan says the city’s urban forests pose a moderate wildfire risk. One resident thinks preparedness could be challenging.
Science Is Like Punk Rock
Biomedical engineer Cynthia Prieto-Diaz is bringing DIY air quality monitors, community cleanups, and a punk spirit to environmental activism in San Leandro.
When Housing and Climate Crises Collide
Marin’s failure to develop truly affordable housing sparks debate about equitable growth and climate resilience in a fast-gentrifying county.
The Solar Battery You Already Own
As California aims for net zero, bidirectional EV charging may be key to achieving clean energy goals. Kurt Johnson talks solar, EVs, and SB 59.
Bolinas Can’t Ignore Pacific Advance Much Longer
As sea levels rise, a Bolinas architect is sparking a new conversation on coastal retreat. Steve Matson’s vision could relocate this Marin County village to higher ground.