“Voting is the most important thing for us, especially this year. Take the environment into account…Your governor, Jay Inslee, is an acquaintance of mine and he’s a big environmentalist; he wrote a book Apollo’s Fire, it’s about the future and what people are doing to take care of the environment.”
— Bill Nye
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You’re not going to want to miss this. |
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On October 30th, Leonardo DiCaprio and director Fisher Stevens will release Before the Flood, perhaps the most important documentary on climate change in a generation. I had the opportunity to sit with DiCaprio during the COP21 climate summit in Paris late last year to explain the urgent connections between climate change and the global deforestation crisis. Specifically, we discussed RAN’s work to protect the amazing Leuser Ecosystem in Indonesia — spurring DiCaprio and his team to visit the Leuser and bring back some amazing and harrowing footage. You can see part of my conversation with DiCaprio in the film. Before the Flood airs globally October 30th on the National Geographic Channel in 171 countries in 45 languages. (The film will eventually be available free online for all to see — stay tuned for the details!) So please save the date and spread the word. Together we can maximize the impact of this hard hitting activist cinema.
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I’m a 19-year-old studying at Duke University. I’m the same age that my mom was when she made the sacrifice to drop out of college to care for me and my siblings, so that we could have a shot at a better life than she had.
I was born to an alcoholic father and a teenage mother in a rough neighborhood in South Carolina. Growing up in our three-bedroom trailer, I knew that success wasn’t going to come easy for me.
But I had the support of my mom and stepdad, who both worked over 60 hours a week in their manufacturing jobs to save for our education. During the summers while they were at work, they took us to read books at the public library, instilling in us a love for learning.
I also had the encouragement of my elementary school teachers, who looked past the color of my skin and endured my “problem child” attitude because they saw that I had potential and could excel in our school’s gifted programs. And when it came time to apply to college, I had high school teachers who encouraged me to reach for my dream schools.
For me and so many students like me, graduating from high school is a full-circle moment. It’s a manifestation of the unflinching sacrifice that my parents made to get me there. And it’s an affirmation of the American idea that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can build a future better than the conditions you were born into.
The truth is, my generation has seen things steadily get better the last eight years. Under President Obama, the graduation rate has gone up for all types of students, and the graduation gap is closing for students of color, low-income students, and students with disabilities. College is more accessible for so many thanks to increased Pell Grants and easier ways to apply for federal financial aid through FAFSA. With the help of financial aid, I’m able to study at a top-tier school without worrying about its costs.
I know that it’s only through the promise of education that my story is possible. That’s why I plan to devote my career to public service so I can work to keep improving our education system. And that’s why I’m so proud to have a president who believes that if we work together, we can ensure that same promise for every kid, no matter who they are or where they come from.
Thanks for listening,
Trey
The very first time I saw a 3D printer was on a trip to the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore when I was 8 years old. It was printing a phone case from scratch. I was so impressed that my parents enrolled me in a summer camp at a local makerspace where I could learn more about it.
I loved 3D printing and I could not wait to get a printer of my own. So I wrote to several companies that make them asking if they’d donate one for me to use at home. In return, I’d provide customer feedback. One company made my wish come true and sent me a printer.
That brought me to the annual White House Science Fair. That’s where I met President Obama. I told him he should have a kid science advisor, because we kids should have input into what we learn about in science class. And he thought that was a pretty good idea!
My wish has once again come true! The President announced he would have kid science advisors, and thousands of kids across the country — including my little sister and me — submitted ideas on what we think is important to explore today in science, tech, and innovation.
Because we are the future innovators in America, we know that we can change the world for the better. It’s really incredible to know that President Obama not only took my suggestion seriously, but that he is considering all of our suggestions, even though we are kids. It shows he believes that, no matter how old we are, we can solve the tough problems we’ll face in the future.
Thanks,
Jacob L.
Kid Science Advisor
Lindsey Allen
Be a Seed for Change 
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