On June 8th, Haycock Elementary School’s Rainforest Café was packed with proud parents as dozens of second graders read poems they had written throughout the year.



Students received recognition from Lehigh University as part of the Young Environmental Artists and Activists Poetry and Art Contest. The poems focused on environmental issues, but other categories, such as parents, were also explored.

Professors from Lehigh's Environmental Initiative teamed with those of the College of Education to create the Young Environmental Artists and Activists (YEAA) Poetry & Art contest. The intent was to integrate the topic of environmental sciences into language arts curriculum. Mr. Steve Wysocki, a 2nd grade language arts teacher at Haycock Elementary School in Quakertown, PA worked with the students to help them create their poems and explore topics regarding environmental science.

Judges of the contest included Kay Winters, a well known children's book author of both fiction and nonfiction, Shelley Wexler, a Design Director of knitwear for Ralph Lauren and Jones of New York, Tippi Polo, Program Coordinator of Lehigh's Environmental Initiative, Dr. Warren Heydenberk, Professor Emeriti of Lehigh University's College of Education, and Dr. Roberta Heydenberk, an Adjunct Faculty member at Lehigh University where she teaches multicultural education and conflict resolution education courses.

Click on the links below to view each Poem.

Save Polar Bears
By Will Frei, Grade 2

Mean Air Pollution
By Jacob Wooden, Grade 2

The Wonderful Earth
By Elivia Drake, Grade 2

Baby Earth
Unknown Author, Grade 2

Rainforest Ruined
By Mason K. Sullivan, Grade 2

For more information on this program or to inquire about your school participating, please contact Dr. Warren Heydenberk at wrh2@Lehigh.EDU.