This week’s “Focus the Nation: Global Warming Solutions for America” initiatives are receiving more support from Florida A&M University, including an official letter of endorsement from President James H. Ammons and keen interest from various student organization leaders.
A part of the Ammons’ letter addressed to Jacqueline Hightower, adviser of the Environmental Sciences Student Organization read, “Please accept this notice as my official endorsement of the university’s participation in this great event. With a theme of ‘Global Warming and Climate Change: Solutions for America,’ Focus the Nation will create a unique opportunity for Florida A&M University to have a window before the world that will enable us to showcase our high caliber environmental students and faculty.”
Ammons and his team are scheduled to have a dialogue session about FAMU’s plans for sustainability. The session will take place on campus Thursday during “Focus the Nation Day,” following the “Earth-Friendly Continental Breakfast” in the Grand Ballroom.
The day will consist of a total of nine different sessions centered on global warming issues and solutions. Some of the sessions will have guest speakers including City Commissioner Andrew Gillum and Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell.
Registration for the “Green Games,” which “Focus the Nation” tagged as “the race for knowledge, involvement, empowerment, social responsibility and fun,” will take place Jan. 28 and 29.
The games will begin during “Focus the Nation” on Jan. 31 and will continue for the entire spring semester. Organizations have to be registered with student activities and have at least five active members in order to participate.
Student organizations will have the opportunity to register to participate in park cleanups, recycling efforts and other environmental friendly activities.
Hightower said the grand prize for the winning team is $5,000. “Green Games” is a way that ESSO hopes to get the student population interested and involved in environmental activities. Candice Pelham, Student Government Association senior senator, said the initiative is going to be monumental.
“The initiative is going to be wonderful for FAMU!” Pelham said. “I hope that we can continue the “Green Games” past just the spring semester and make it into a year-round event.”
This will foster more campus involvement with being more environmentally sound,” Pelham continued.
More students are voicing their interest in “Focus the Nation” and its initiatives like the “Green Games.”
Delta Sigma Theta President Bethany Jones, a fourth-year biological and agricultural systems engineering student, said the Deltas are all about community service.
“The ‘Green Games’ will be great for student organizations to show their true colors when it comes to serving FAMU,” Jones said. “The ‘Green Games’ will bring more awareness to students about improving the environment and also help bring that FAMU spirit back. When I heard about the Green Games, I got excited because the Deltas are always up for a friendly competition.”
Interim Director of the Office of Student Activities Saundra Inge supports the whole idea behind the program.
“It’s a great idea,” Inge said. “At the rate things are going and the destruction of the environment, we aren’t going to have much left of Mother Earth years from now. We have to get more concerned.”
Inge said the best way to try to correct what is affecting the environment is to start with those who will be the main players in the future.
“The ‘Green Game’s’ main purpose is to bring awareness on how to protect our environment,” Inge said. “We’re destroying the basic habitat of humanity. The reality is that everyone is quietly losing. We have to start with the students; they’re the future leaders of America.”