Rosemount High School has many great clubs, but none as important as our Environmental Science Club. The RHS Environmental Science Club provides an opportunity for students who are interested in protecting the Earth for ourselves and future generations. This year students have shown an interest in both the ecological side of conservation and the political side of climate change and nonrenewable resources.
The Environmental Science Club’s first project of the year was maintenance of the rain garden, which was added in May of 2019. Students learned what is a weed and what is not. A weed is anything that takes nutrients without benefiting the purpose of the rain garden. This project originally was designed with the purpose of collecting runoff from the hill and has many benefits. Having a rain garden can replenish the aquifer instead of allowing the water to run off into the roads. It can also filter water, therefore reducing pollution and decreasing flooding, as turf grass does not allow absorption into the soil. The garden also includes many plants to help our pollinators, like milkweed and black eyed Susans’. The project has been underway for months and does not seem to be slowing down any time soon.
Upcoming projects planned include a youth climate change group meeting on the 12th, the club is looking for representatives to go, If you would like to join please contact Mrs. Kanitz. There is also a river clean up on October 22nd at 3-5 pm. If you want to be involved in any of these groups please see Mrs. Kanitz or Mrs. Driessen in room 317. Some other future events planned concerning ecology are the creation of bird and bat houses, invasive species removal, fundraising for adopting an animal and up keep of the rain garden. Another project planned for political activism is convincing the school board to invest in solar panels or switch to a renewable energy source, restore and improve the recycling system in our schools, and engage the community more in the projects. If you would like to be involved in this amazing program there are meetings every other Tuesday before school in room 317, or shoot an email to Mrs. Kanzit or Mrs. Driessen.
