TZHS AP Environmental Science Students Participate in Rockland PLUS Symposium

Tappan Zee High School AP Environmental Science students connected with county peers and mentor professionals at the annual Rockland Planning Land Use with Students (PLUS) Symposium at St. Thomas Aquinas College on April 4. 

School-based groups presented development plans that they created with guidance from Rockland PLUS mentors Kathy Galione, Rockland Conservation & Service Corps Youth Program Coordinator, and Nicole Labile, Coordinator for the Rockland Task Force on Water Resources Management, over the course of three visits. Groups were tasked with balancing social, economic, environmental and equity factors when developing their proposal and identifying stakeholder groups that could help bring their vision to life. 

TZHS students were split into two groups to develop plans to update the German Masonic Property while preserving the existing architecture. Each group emphasized the desire for a central location within the community to have family, friends and neighbors gather so their proposals included a community center, recreational services for all ages and even shops for local vendors to sell products. Students used the information they have learned during class about sustainability, water and air pollution and energy efficiency to incorporate solar panels, permeable pavement and a community garden into their development plans. 

Each group presented to local mentor professionals and following each presentation, students answered any questions they had and took note of their feedback. Following the presentations, students transferred their sustainable planning skills to a new site in Rockland County where they collaborated with students from high schools across Rockland and local mentors to develop a planning framework.