Sixteen students from four schools recently won awards in the Nyrstar Challenge, earning a total of $7,500 in scholarship money.
Nyrstar, the Zinc Plant in Clarksville for over 43 years, created the Nyrstar Challenge to uncover energy efficiencies across the community.
They worked with the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System to create a contest for the seniors in their various CMCSS academies. Entrants developed a presentation to raise awareness of the biggest energy issues facing local business partners whose work relates to the theme of that school’s academy.
“Through this research challenge, Career and Technical Education seniors explored energy issues related to various industries,” said Beth Stigall, CMCSS academies coach. “Schools selected finalists and these students had the opportunity to formally present their excellent work and impressive solutions in front of Nyrstar managers. Our students greatly benefit from these industry partnerships and experiences.”
Nyrstar Clarksville General Manager Javier Hernandez Gallegos said he was pleased with the engagement of students, faculty and school administrators.
“As part of our efforts to have a positive impact in our community, the Nyrstar Challenge is here to stay,” he said. “What a better way to do so than engaging with and supporting the development of the future of our community! We truly enjoyed the experience and the feedback from students and schools indicates we are on the right track.”
Dayna Paine, director of Career and Technical Education at CMCSS, said the program was great for the students as well.
“Through partnerships with businesses like Nyrstar, CMCSS students are able to practice the skills they will need to be successful when they leave the doors of our high schools. Real world experiences such as these cannot be replicated in the traditional classroom without the support of our local community,” Paine said.
“We look forward to expanding opportunities for our students to interact with industry leaders as we prepare out students to be career ready.”
Nyrstar Challenge winners
Here are the winners of the inaugural Nyrstar Challenge.
1st place, $2,000: KHS project, “Energy Consumption Crisis”
- Students: Behnjamin Barlow and Lena Young
- Teacher: Kelsey McConachie
2nd place, $1,750: RHS project, “A Paperless Campaign”
- Students: Serena Rands, Layla Young and Joshua Bishop
- Teacher: Hannah Brooks
3rd place, $1,500: NEHS project, “Nyrstar Project”
- Students: William Douglass, Haven Brandt and Sean Dellinger
- Teacher: Daniel Saucer
4th place, $1,250: NWHS project, “#Greenzone in the #Workzone”
- Students: Christina Johnson and Tienna White
- Teacher: Megan Clegg
5th place, $1,000: RHS project, “CMCSS Goes Digital”
- Students: Anna Kapinga, Dillan Hart, Jonathan Quarles
- Teacher: Hannah Brooks
Honorable mention: NWHS project, “Are Fossil Fuels Actually Efficient?”
- Student: Kaylee Coon
- Teacher: Megan Clegg
Honorable mention: NEHS project, “Nyrstar Environmental Project”
- Students: Alexis Celeste and David Watson
- Teacher: Daniel Saucer
About the Nyrstar Challenge
The Nyrstar Challenge was developed in response to the #GreenZone initiative by the Zinc Plant’s parent company, Trafigura, to encourage its employees to find better and more energy-efficient ways to operate. #GreenZone proposals are designed to work well in daily operations, allowing employees to lead by example and further reduce on-site energy usage.
Nyrstar, the Zinc Plant in Clarksville for over 43 years, expanded its local campaign to include students with the new Nyrstar Challenge, designed to uncover energy efficiencies across the community and among different industries.