"Kids' Environmental Report Card" Results Are In: Kids Give U.S. A "C" For Its Response To Helping The Environment

 

Scholastic kid reporters and classroom magazines educate and engage kids this Earth Day

 

New York, NY — April 16, 2009 — This Earth Day Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children's publishing, education and media company, is educating and engaging kids online and in classrooms about environmental issues that affect us all. Students nationwide have cast their votes on the Kids’ Environmental Report Card, an annual online survey of kids’ views on the environment. The report card is part of the Science Explorations program, a collaboration of Scholastic, including its classroom magazines, SuperScienc® (grades 3–6) and Science World®(grades 6–10), and the American Museum of Natural History, one of the world's preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions.

This year's report card surveyed kids about their views about the environment at home, in their communities and around the world. When asked "How well is the U.S. doing to help the environment?" kids gave the country a "C," saying that the U.S.'s response "needs improvement." Students gave their families and schools a "B" for their efforts in helping the environment. When asked, "What is the most important thing the President can do to stop global warming?" 51% of kids said he can "work with other world leaders to create a global solution."

Other results include:

  • 48% of kids said that "global climate change" is the most important environmental issue facing the world today, followed by "energy resources" at 19%, "water resources" at 17% and "wildlife conservation" at 16%.
  • 66% of kids believe that it is "mostly my generation" who are responsible for the environment.
  • 51% of kids said in 10 years they want to see their communities add "solar panels on new public buildings."
  • 37% of kids said that in the future, environmental problems will be "Better! I think people will change their behaviors."

Results for the entire survey are available at www.scholastic.com/reportcard, where kids can also discuss the report card results, customize and send Tree-Free e-Cards, share ideas about saving the planet, check out eZines by other students about animals and environmental issues, and use the Write a Letter tool to tell local elected officials about their concerns.

The Scholastic Kids Press Corps, a team of student reporters ages 10-14 from across the country, is also reporting on Earth Day and the environment. In their Earth Day 2009 special report at www.scholastic.com/kidspress, Kid Reporters are covering everything from “green” cars and young environmental activists working to save the earth, to tours of a recycling plant, the El Yunque rainforest and a luxury home powered by geothermal and solar energy. Kid Reporters will also be reporting on Earth Day activities in their own hometowns on the Kids Press Corps blog, where other kids are invited to join the conversation.

Additionally, Scholastic Classroom Magazines is explaining environmental issues to students through science, social studies and math. Scholastic News®, current events magazines leveled for grades 3-6, is exploring alternative energy, “green” schools, endangered species, and simple projects for kids who want to save the earth and its resources. Junior Scholastic®, a social studies magazine for middle school students, has a special pull-out section called “Earth: Portrait of a Planet,” which looks at the planet’s natural resources. Scholastic MATH® talks to R&B star Sterling Simms about conserving electricity, plus has students use line graphs to show recent paper recycling rates. Language arts magazine SCOPE® interviews eco-friendly teens and shows what young people around the country are doing to help the planet.

To learn more about the Kids’ Environmental Report Card or Science Explorations, go to www.scholastic.com/scienceexplorations. For more information about the American Museum of Natural History, please visit www.amnh.org.

For more about Earth Day topics and environmental issues, visit www.scholastic.com/kidspress. To learn more about Scholastic Classroom Magazines, go to www.scholastic.com/classmags.

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Contacts:
Jennifer Boggs
Scholastic
212.343.6619
jboggs@scholastic.com

Sara Sinek
Scholastic
212.343.6899
ssinek@scholastic.com