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Meet the President’s newest (kid) advisors:


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.

On Friday, I was happy to be back at the White House as one of the President’s kid science advisors, sharing my ideas with other official advisors to the President and students interested in STEM like myself — it was so inspiring! Check out some photos of our day.

President Obama and Kid Science Advisors

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

Visit WhiteHouse.gov
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Peru: Stop the Oil Spills! Amazon Watch
Peru’s indigenous peoples are defending Amazonian rivers from oil spills and need your solidarity today!TAKE ACTION TO STOP PERU OIL SPILLS »

Yesterday, Amazon Watch visited Saramurillo, a town along the banks of the mighty Marañon River, where hundreds of indigenous water protectors are demanding an end to the contamination of the Amazon. Seven oil spills have been reported this year alone in the Peruvian Amazon, adding to dozens from prior years. The spills have leaked thousands of barrels of oil and directly affected indigenous communities like the Awajún and the Wampis. These are the kinds of spills that the Standing Rock Sioux are fighting to prevent their North Dakota territory.

After the third spill of this year the pipeline was shut down, yet spills continue. Fed up by continued spills and government inaction in the face of over 40 years of oil contamination, many affected communities rose up on September 1st, blocking traffic up and down the river demanding that the government take adequate action to stop further spills. We were able to visit them at their camp near Station 1, the beginning of the pipeline, to show our support.

Because the government strategy thus far has been to try to pacify the mobilization without actually taking substantive actions, the communities need international support for their demands.

Please send Peru’s new president an email today, encouraging a high-level delegation to travel to the Marañon River and dialogue in good faith with the affected communities.
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