Since July 2011, Junior Scientists @ Iracambi has been bringing 90 selected middle school students to Iracambi to do real field science using scientific equipment to which they don't have access in school. The kids study the effects of climate change, monitor water quality and quantity, track changes in forest cover and learn how to record data. But transport can be a problem, and we need to ensure that they can get to Iracambi, rain or shine. For that, our Junior Scientists need wheels!
The main barrier to expanding the program is the availability of transport. At the moment Junior Scientists are wholly reliant on the school bus, which is only intermittently available, and never at weekends. We want to be able to offer them the option to come at weekends, during the vacations and at times when the overburdened school system simply doesn't have any transport for them.
If we can acquire a minivan we will be able to continue and expand this great program, extending the opportunity to kids from other schools and areas where there is no school bus.
The kids will be able to come and work on their projects more often and they won't have to constantly rely on unreliable forms of transport. Because we live in an isolated rural area there is very little scientific education, no scientific equipment, and little chance for the children to get out into the field and understand the forest around them. Junior Scientists @ Iracambi is their opportunity, and it's our chance to raise a new generation of forest guardians.
