WV Students Create Winning Climate Change PSAs

By Sandra Fallon, West Virginia Climate Change Development Program

West Virginia students have important climate messages to share with all West Virginians—from using renewable energy to reducing their carbon footprint and addressing flood and food security risks due to climate change.  

Students from Wheeling Central Catholic and Huntington High Schools share these messages in their winning video and audio Public Service Announcements (PSAs) created for the West Virginia Climate Change Professional Development (WVCCPD) Project’s 2023 Earth Day PSA Contest, which is generously supported by the Appalachian Stewardship Foundation. Watch the winning videos here!

The WVCCPD Project is a teacher education program offering K-12 educators data-driven and hands-on activities for engaging students in learning the science of climate change and in taking action, according to WVCCPD Director Kathryn Williamson, Ph.D . “Understanding climate science is essential, but that alone is not enough to effect change. WVCCPD emphasizes civic engagement and communication as key to raising awareness and solving the climate crisis. By creating PSAs, students learn to communicate the climate science knowledge they’ve gained and develop skills to participate in the climate conversation.”

The WVCCPD project began in 2019 with workshops and online networking sessions and most recently offered several semester-long Continuing Education courses through Fairmont State University. The project has engaged 130 teachers in a dynamic collaboration among physical and social scientists, science communicators, media consultants, social activists and educators. 

Learn more and watch the PSAs here.