High school students look for support in Tikkun Olam project

News and Schmooze has been flooded with requests this week from readers wanting to get the word out about their causes and concerns. Given that it is ‘tis the season, we figured we would do the best to honor a few.

The first comes from Jenny Koshner, a 17-year-old senior at Parkway North High School who is a member of the school’s Envirothon Team.  

“We are about making an environmental change in our community and learning more about how the ecosystem functions and how to sustain it,” Jenny explains.

“Last year we entered and won the Lexus Eco Challenge.  This year we entered the Pepsi Refresh Challenge for the chance to win $250,000.  If we win, along with $7,000 we won last year from the Lexus Eco Challenge, we will use the money to buy and install solar panels.  

“Our school district has agreed to put the money that they save every year towards making even more buildings solar until our entire district runs exclusively on solar power.  Not only would this be unique to our state, it would be unique in our region, and probably the entire United States.”

Jenny says the Parkway North project is currently ranked No. 5 among several hundred. To get to No. 1, she needs our votes. To do so either text 104078 to 73774 or go to www.refresheverything.com/solarforparkway and register for a Pepsi account. I did the latter and it took me seconds to cast my vote.  The project’s website is www.parkwaysolar.org and it, too, will guide you to a place where you can vote as well as find out more about the project.

“My mother always taught me when I was younger how important tikkun olam was, and how essential it was that we take care of the beautiful world God gave us,” says Jenny. “This project has such incredible potential to impact thousands of people. Please help us to make the difference.”

Honoring a beloved teacher

The next request comes from Sally Ember, who is looking to honor a former Ladue teacher who is about to turn 90 years old. Karlyn “Karky” Gitlin taught kindergarten at Wright and Central elementary schools in Ladue from the early 1950s through the late 1970s. Ember and some of her former classmates are planning to compile stories and brief anecdotes about how Mrs. Gitlin influenced her students’ lives to present to her as a birthday gift. If you would like to contribute your tales, email [email protected] no later than Jan. 3.

The dish on dating

This last request comes from yours truly, in anticipation of an upcoming story that the Light is beginning to work on. If you have had any experience with the online dating website JDate – good, bad or otherwise – I would like to hear from you. Email me at [email protected] with your name, phone number, a brief message about your experience and a good time(s) to reach you, or just call me directly at 314-743-3669. I look forward to hearing from you and the stories you have to tell.