POLLUTION SOLUTION
Meet The Pollution Solution Team
Kabe Aberle
For me, this issue was important to address because of my own passion for the outdoors and natural spaces. I have grown up spending much of my life outside and enjoying the beauty of Colorado, and so working on this project allowed me not only to provide a similar opportunity to students who might not otherwise have it, but also created new young allies for the ongoing work of preserving our natural world. I developed as a scholar through this project in one way simply just by being exposed to Community Engaged Scholarship. I had previously heard of and worked with similar ideas such as Human Centered Design, but the idea of using it as a method of approach rather than an end goal in and of itself was a valuable takeaway from this experience for me. In addition to that, I feel like I’ve grown through my understanding of how complex Grand Challenge problems are and how much time, energy, and capital they take to effectively address. It is one thing to see those issues from afar, but to critically engage with them in a way that is beneficial to students, community members, and the broader world is hard. That said, I think one of the biggest things that I’ll apply to my future engagement following this experience is to pace myself in the work and prioritize individual relationships because through those, we really can move the needle over time in a more sustainable way than when we unilaterally institute solutions or don’t engage with people deeply. Another thing I’ll apply through my learning is using Community Engaged Scholarship in my future research and other work. I am currently considering a career in research in the humanities and so using a method of research that is restorative and centered on improving the community rather than potentially extracting from it would be more in line with my own values and potentially better my community. In wider reflection, my experience with the ACE Grant and as a Student Scholar has led me to having a deeper appreciation of how to tackle large issues in a way that is sustainable not only for me, but for broader communities. I’ve learned that often when communities are involved in the decisions that impact them, they have invaluable insight that make the end solutions that much more effective.
Annabelle Kiely
I have always liked nature and the outdoors, but it wasn’t until I moved to Colorado in high school that I really began to fall in love with it. When I was in elementary school I lived in the Midwest and the South without much exposure to the kind of nature in Colorado, beautiful mountains and sprawling forests just weren’t available to me. While I’ve always thought climate change was a bad thing, it’s hard to understand how bad until you gain some perspective of what you might lose. Had I learned earlier about what exactly we’re protecting, maybe I could have started making a difference sooner. That is why I am so passionate about helping kids get outside and learn about what it is we’re protecting, to create a generation with every opportunity to love the planet and treat it well from the beginning. I was really impressed by the kids at Garden Place Academy and Cole Arts and Science Academy's desire to play and spend time learning about nature. The gravity of the difference we could make really did not set in until we got to the school and I realized how much energy these kids had after a day of sitting in class, and how much they craved an outlet. Allowing kids that time outside, making things, or learning new things that interest them is so important and I really feel we were able to contribute to that part of their development. One of my key takeaways from this project was that kids get excited when you get excited. I really noticed that when we were the most passionate about the information we were sharing that was when kids got the most engaged. I will definitely carry that knowledge with me into future work in the community.
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Madelyn Kavalieros
​I have always been passionate about the environment and keeping it safe. I grew up in an area where nature was a very important and prominent part of people’s lives. Being in Oregon, I had access to a lot of different parts of nature: the ocean, forests, deserts, and mountains were all places that I regularly visited as a kid. I was a Girl Scout for 12 years, and during that time I attended Mountaindale West Girl Scout Camp, a week-long summer camp. Once we were old enough, Girl Scouts were allowed to spend the night out in the field, and because we were so far away from city lights, the stars were incredible. I want to provide this experience for other kids, and make them care about the world they live in. I wanted to instill in young girls and boys the same passion I found for nature while attending camp. With the work the Pollution Solution was able to accomplish, I know we did just that. Kids at our after school programs were excited about the activities and interested in learning more about different aspects of nature. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to work with these kids because not only did we help educate them, they educated us as well. The skills I learned while problem-solving certain issues will stick with me the rest of my life and I wouldn’t have gained them without this work. The most important skill I will take with me going forward is ALWAYS having a backup plan, because you can’t count on plan A to be perfect.
Loklin Nord
Growing up, I was very involved with the outdoors, coming from an adventurous Montana town. Hiking, mountain biking, lakes, and waterfalls were all very important parts of my childhood. During my sophomore summer of high school, I went on a month-long retreat with other students and two team leaders. We traveled across Montana camping together and working to improve private and public land in various ways. That experience is something I will never forget; being out in nature and immersed in it while far away from technology and the issues of everyday life. I changed and grew so much as a person during that adventure. I recognize that our world is extremely close to a point of no return regarding environmental issues, and something needs to be done. I like to think that if I could share a fraction of the experience I had during that summer with younger students, I can only imagine the impact it might have. Educating groups on issues is one of the best ways to start fighting against problems, so if all children can learn a portion of what I have related to global environmental issues and possible solutions, perhaps our world can finally start working towards some real positive change.
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I have learned a great deal from being involved in our Community Change Initiative project. I discovered more about how I function within a professional group setting through all of the tedious brainstorming, researching, writing, contacting, scheduling, and planning that I did with my team. Pulling off this entire project was no easy task, and even when the project had laid back weeks, I still had to keep thinking about it so that I was prepared for the next steps. Through our planning and outreach to the schools and principals, I discovered that there is no such thing as "too early" when it comes to large organizations. There are so many little steps and delays when it comes to communication between individuals and organizations such as schools. Even when we did plan so far in advance, things still ended up going wrong and we had to change plans. I will never forget those tough and stressful situations where we had to quickly pivot our entire project temporarily, and managing stress while coming up with alternatives is a great skill I can bring forward with myself. I greatly enjoyed being part of a project where we got to directly interact with the lives of those that our efforts were working towards changing. It felt so good to see every smile and word of joy when the students were excited to learn about the environment and spend time with us on Friday afternoons. For the rest of my life, I will look out for opportunities such as our CCI project that provide similar opprotunities.
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Jacob Hughes
As a kid I was always outside, always barefoot, always dirty, and I always loved every second of it. I grew up in Texas with a cattle ranch that I spent most of my weekends on, and from a very young age my parents taught me the value and beauty of the natural world. They also taught me that, as someone who gets to enjoy the outdoors, it's also my job to take care of it and preserve it as best as I can; after all, if we don’t then my kids might not get to experience the same things I did. I was very lucky to have a space like that to roam free on as a kid, and I know most people can’t exactly relate or say they had the same experience when they were young too, but for me, I see the lasting value that understanding and spending time in the outdoors can have. It goes beyond building hobbies and staying active. Connecting with the outside world from a young age will impact your brain, your values, and your development, allowing for kids to become better and more well-rounded humans who can more fully understand the world that they have the privilege of enjoying. Because of this, I personally want to work in this group to at least somewhat share my experience growing up with other kids, because I see the way that it impacted my growth and made me a better human as a result.
Brady Rogers
As a lifelong resident of Colorado, my deep passion for the outdoors and the natural world began to take shape from a very young age. Growing up surrounded by mountains and beautiful landscapes, I was fortunate enough to attend a school that prioritized environmental education. This invaluable experience instilled in me an understanding of the importance of nature and these values continue with me to this day.
In our fast-paced society, it has become increasingly important to reconnect children with nature. By providing children with the opportunities to learn about nature they can develop a genuine understanding and care for nature. This is something I believe to be of extremely importance for future generations.
I am driven by a strong sense of purpose to offer children the same experiences that I had the privilege of experiencing. Teaching kids about nature not only helps them grow and learn but also creates empathy and responsibility towards sustainability and the importance of preserving our natural world for generations to come.
Immersing children in nature is also essential for well-being. Outdoor activities promote physical fitness, boost mental health, and create a sense of adventure. The sights, sounds, and smells of the natural environment enhance cognitive development and create a lifelong commitment to protecting our planet.
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