Students across the country and on the Leelanau Peninsula will spotlight global warming next week in a first-of-its-kind educational effort called "Focus on the Nation."

JACK KERBY-MILLER, a sophomore at Glen Lake,
played a key role in bring "Focus on the Nation"
to the school next week.

Glen Lake students will learn more about climate change in a half-day event organized by sophomore Jack Kerby-Miller and 10 of his fellow Lakers.

“This all started last January when I watched Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth,” the ambitious teenager said. “Two weeks later, my mom got her alumni newsletter from Lewis & Clark College and read about a professor who was organizing this event and thought it was a cool idea.”

Lewis & Clark economics professor Eban Goodstein is putting together the country’s largest ever teach-in by bringing together millions of Americans to create a sustained, non-partisan national discussion on confronting the issue of “climate stabilization.”

Initially, it was hoped to spark interest in a minimum of 1,000 organizations to participate in the event. At last count, the total had reached 1,300, including Glen Lake.

“Most other kids were already (concerned about global warming),” said Kerby-Miller, adding that only 300 groups had signed on when he began organizing a year ago. “I didn’t have to do much convincing.”

Assisting Kerby in the effort are seniors Skye Hillier, Lily Springsteen and Emma Cook; junior Will Hendricks; sophomores Krissy Bush, Jordan Lewis, Wyatt Smith and Chloe Gribbin; and freshman Casey Hawkins.

Hendricks welcomed the chance to participate.

STUDENT PARTICIPANTS in "Face the Nation" at
Glen Lake include (front row, from left) Skye Hillier,
Lily Springsteen, Krissy Bush, Casey Hawkins, Jordan
Lewis and Wyatt Smith; (top row, from left) Zach
Gordon, Chloe Gribbin, Emma Cook, Will Hendricks,
and Jack Kerby-Miller.

“I’ve always wanted to be involved in something to aid the environment and this allowed me the opportunity,” he said.

The student group went to the worldwide web, checked out www.focusthenation.org and found talking points to address in letters to lawmakers. They also researched local “green businesses” and other subjects soliciting their participation in the one-day symposium to discuss solutions to stop global warming.

The “Focus the Nation” event is scheduled on Thursday, Jan. 31, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. in the school auditeria, adjacent hallway and classroom. The effort will get a jump-start the day before with committee members Hendricks and Cook — both members of Glen Lake’s choir North by Northwest — taking part in a musically “green” performance for elementary school students.

Also on Wednesday, “The 2% Solution” will be webcast in the school auditeria at 8 p.m.. The program was produced by the National Wildlife Federation and includes as panelists actor Ed Norton; Stanford climate scientist Steve Schneider; Hunter Lovings, CEO of the Natural Capitalism and an environmental justice leader; and Van Jones, executive director of the Ella Baker Center in Oakland, Calif. It will also be shown in a classroom during the afternoon program.

Keynote speakers for “focus” are Mike Powers of the Upper Peninsula and Jim Nugent of Suttons Bay. Both participated in Gore’s climate conference. Nugent will discuss research, education and development of renewable energy, waste reduction and community networking.

Small group speakers lined up include Judy Reinhardt of Sweetersong Organic Farms and Leelanau School faculty member Bruce Hood, both of Cedar. Reinhardt will discuss community supported agriculture and the energy savings in buying locally grown food. Hood, a biodiesel advocate, will address carbon reduction of alternative fuels.

Climate change solution booths will be staffed by businesses and organizations, including Ghecko Traders, reusable bags; Cherry Republic, “greening” our business; the Michigan Land Use Institute; the Leelanau Independent Women for Democratic Action, recycling; Steve Smiley, wind power and alternative energy sources; Glen Lake Bioneers; and Odom Reusable Building Materials.

“I want to make it clear that (global warming) is not a political issue, it’s a human issue,” Hendricks said. “It’s not about a coming election, it’s about living on our planet for a little longer period of time.”