South Whidbey High School held its third annual Earth Day Conference Wednesday morning. The half-day of activities featured speakers, service projects (led by the members of the school’s Green Team) and a green college and career fair. The Whidbey ECO Network and SEA (Service, Education and Adventure) collaborated with the Whidbey Earth and Ocean Month team in putting on the all-school Earth Day event.

“We are grateful for the support of principal John Patton and the entire staff of South Whidbey High School in sharing this important information with students,” said Susie Richards, an organizer of the event, in an email.

The opening assembly was kicked off by a keynote address by Alicia Kellog, field crew supervisor of the Washington Conservation Corps, who spoke on finding a vocation and career path. High school student Kari Hustad followed with a reading of her poem, “This is how the World will end.” Also in the opening assembly was a dance routine by Island Dance, which was accompanied by a video by Prince Ea “Dear Future Generations: Sorry.”

Following the assembly, students rotated through three 30-minute sessions involving one service project, one tabling event and a professional presenter, who spoke on their current and past work in the fields of natural resources and the environment.

Service projects included planting flowers near the school’s bus pick-up area, creating hemp bracelets, calculating carbon footprints and decorating gift bags to be used at The Goose or Payless to remind people about Earth Day.