High School HeroesX is thrilled to launch its fourth challenge: a statewide environmental challenge in Pennsylvania. The grant money to be awarded at the end is a total of $1000, contributed by Youth Service America. Five schools in the state have already begun work on the challenge, which seeks to promote environmental issues through either of two ways.

The first of which is through teaching youth across the state about possible jobs in green energy and renewables, skills needed for those jobs, and ways to promote sustainability in a home, a school, a community, and a country. The second possible avenue is through outreach to areas of the state which may find themselves in the natural gas boom, to ensure citizens are aware of the dangers of unsafe fracking. Studies have shown that 5-10 percent of natural gas wells leak to contaminate local groundwater, while 3.6 to 7.2 percent of the methane from a frack job escapes to pollute our air. However, with proper regulation, these emissions can be cut 90 percent, in addition to providing a stimulus for local economies.

High School HeroesX will be announcing the first two esteemed members to the advisory board of the challenge this month. The challenge will run through the end of Spring, with a culminating event where the grant money will be awared. Additionally, HSHX has met with the office of Pennsylvania Senator Casey about the possibility of him attending such event!