Are you interested in helping the environment in a fun and creative way? Would you like to accomplish something important, help your school and also qualify for some great cash prizes? Then the GreenSTART student environmental challenge is for you!

All students in Atherton and other local schools are eligible to participate in GreenSTART and compete in our environmental competition. You can come up with a cool environmental project idea that you would like to see happen. Or you can enter a project that you are already working on. Get some friends to work with you as a team. Then find at least one adult who is willing to provide you with assistance (or you may already have a school sponsor) to agree to be your project sponsor and you are ready to go! Here's what you need to do to participate:

1. Register: First, complete the GreenSTART Project Registration Form and get it back to us as soon as possible (directions are on the form). Deadline for the registration of student projects is April 15, 2008.

2. Create a display for the Fair on May 4th: Figure out how you will do your project (it will help to review the questions on the electronic Project Summary Form (.pdf) that cover this. This is the .pdf version that you can both view and print). Then put together a compelling visual display about it. Your display can include any kind of visual aide that you can create, such as a basic poster board with text and illustrations, a scale model, charts or graphs. Maybe you can create a video on what your project is about. You can use any resources that you can find and getting help from your sponsor is okay. Review how the project judging will happen and include as much information as you can. At the fair, the EPC, the community and other GreenSTART student participants will all be voting for the winners!

3. Submit your Project Summary Form: Now that you've thought about it for a while, you will have a better sense of what you'll need in order to get this project to happen. Complete the Project Summary Form (Word version) by clicking this link to download to your computer the Word version, which you should fill in directly into the electronic document and return that to us as an attachment in an email message to events@athertongreen.net by April 30th. The EPC will be reviewing these forms in advance for the details about your thinking. (Please also be sure to print a copy of this completed form when you are done with it to have available at your table, for residents viewing your project who are interested in the details!) This form, together with your visual display will be the primary ways those judging the projects will be able to evaluate how well you have thought about your project.

4. Show your project at the GreenSTART Fair: You've done the work, now you get a chance to show it! Each registered project team will have their own table at the GreenSTART Fair on May 4th. This will be your team's opportunity to show your project concept and vision to the community and explain why your project is important for the environment. You can have fun with this! Wear costumes! Have give-aways. Provide an activity for the little kids. You will have a table, chairs and a tablecloth to start with. Important: Please come one hour early to find your location and get set up. Bring your creative ideas and display pieces and come prepared to casually (there are no formal presentations!) explain your ideas to the people who come by your table to view your project. They may have questions for you! (Please have a copy of your completed Project Summary Form available with your display. We will also format a copy of your project summary form, if possible, for you to have available there as well.) All registered GreenSTART participants will get to vote for their favorite projects at the fair (and that includes you and your team). Plus, have fun, get to hear the Banana Slugs String Band and enjoy the fair!

The EPC will tally the votes during the music performance and announce the program winners after the music at about 4:45 pm. Winners will later officially receive their prizes and recognition from the Atherton City Council at the next meeting.

Students: If you plan to participate in GreenSTART, please sign up for GreenSTART@yahoogroups.com. This email group can help you get your questions answered and provide referrals and other support. Please join us!