Expedition Chesapeake Launches Essay Contest for Students

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts is inviting the winner of a new essay contest to spend a day with international conservationist and educator Jeff Corwin on the set of Expedition Chesapeake during the 2012-2013 school year.

Jeff Corwin will serve as the host for the 42-minute Large Format film that is the center of Expedition Chesapeake. Corwin is perhaps the world's best known celebrity scientist and has worked for the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems around the world. He recently launched the ABC television series Ocean Mysteries. He has also hosted a variety of popular television shows, including Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin Experience, Corwin's Quest and Giant Monsters; Disney's Going Wild with Jeff Corwin; Investigation Earth with the Discovery Networks; and NBC's Jeff Corwin Unleashed, which was nominated four times for an Emmy and won an Emmy for Outstanding Host.

Students in 7th and 8th grades who live in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New York, West Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia are invited to participate in the essay contest and are asked in 500 words or less to discuss their favorite science teacher and how this teacher has had an impact on his or her learning. Complete contest rules and requirements are available by e-mailing [email protected] or by calling (717) 234-1295. One winning essay will be chosen by a committee from the Expedition Chesapeake Advisory Panel. The deadline for essay submissions is May 31, and the winning essay will be chosen before June 25.

"Whitaker Center aims to educate the next generation about important watershed issues and the environment around them. We understand the critical role that teachers play in the education of our youth, and this is an opportunity to recognize the efforts of the area's best science teachers while also reconnecting students with their writing skills," says Dr. Michael Hanes, President and CEO of Whitaker Center.

Expedition Chesapeake includes four related components headlined by a 42-minute Large Format film. The educational components include a television documentary, a hands-on, 4D science exhibit that will travel to science centers, and a set of online learning experiences designed to engage students throughout the six states of the watershed. The Chesapeake Bay watershed supports 17 million residents and is the largest estuary in the nation.

Located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts is the mid-state's premier center for arts, education, entertainment and cultural enrichment. Composed of three main venues – Sunoco Performance Theater, Select Medical IMAX® Theater and Harsco Science Center – our mission is to serve as the center for scientific, artistic, cultural and educational activities to enhance the region's quality of life and economic vitality. For more information, visit whitakercenter.org.

SOURCE Expedition Chesapeake