As concerns about the environment grow, senior Elaina Gibson is dedicated to making changes in her community. Currently, she is in charge of an environment based project that recognizes issues throughout the community. After recognizing these issues she and volunteers strive to solve them. During her process there have been some successes and setbacks, but she has received support along the way. 

In order to start her project, Gibson was in need of funding and support. Since she is a well-rounded student, she was able to receive guidance from organizations that she is currently a part of. The majority of her support came from the Mayor's Youth Council and the city of Kokomo. Since her project resides around community trash clean-ups, Kokomo mayor Tyler Moore was able to get funding from the city. That funding provided her with a series of materials to help with the process. She was able to purchase grabbers, heavy duty trash bags and gloves. While this may seem like a small contribution, it was a major resource needed for success. 

“I have received lots of support from Kokomo High School students, especially those in the Girls League and Environmental Club. These students made up the majority of those that participated in the clean-up, and were a great representation of the values of Kokomo High School,” Gibson said. “I also received lots of support from Mr. Lorenz, who is the sponsor of the Environmental Club. He has always encouraged me to trust my abilities and work towards issues I’m passionate about.”

She also mentioned that her parents have been very supportive during the entire process. 

“My parents have been my biggest fans throughout this whole process. They’ve shown up to every clean-up, even those in pouring rain,” she said.

Recently, Gibson attended an environmental conference at Manchester University where she had the opportunity to share her story. The event itself was sponsored by Earth Charter Indiana which was another support system that guided Gibson.

“Towards the beginning of this project, I got connected with Shannon Anderson from Earth Charter Indiana. She gave me so much confidence in my ability to spark change, and she continues to help me explore the world of environmental advocacy,” Gibson said. 

Although there can be a vast support system when working on a project, it can be hard to motivate students to contribute. Gibson discussed her knowledge on what students are looking for and her strategy to motivate her peers. 

“It can be challenging to convince people to spend their Saturday morning cleaning. I had to learn a lot about what enticed people to participate. I found there were two main motives,” she said. “Many students, especially those in NHS, are always looking for personal service hours. The other thing I found really encouraged people was appealing to their emotions. For this, I would have personal conversations with each person about the dangers of environmental pollution, and the impact a small project like this can have on our community.”

After persuading her peers to participate, Gibson spoke with other students from around the state to share her project and its importance. While speaking in front of an organization with the same ideals is a desired achievement, the process can still be intimidating. 

“At first, I was very nervous when I found out I would be speaking at the conference. I am not much of a public speaker, and I was nervous about speaking in front of my peers, or getting compared to other projects. When I got there, I was very relieved to find I was the only one with this type of project, and I became more confident in what I had to say,” Gibson said. 

After discussing her process and her overall experience, Gibson shared advice to younger students who may be inspired to start a similar project. 

“My biggest piece of advice is to believe you can even when no one else agrees. Don’t wait for the approval of others,” she said. “In every project, there will be someone who tells you it can’t be done. Don’t let this discourage you. All you need to make a change is passion, a plan, and some confidence.”