As the world prepares to celebrate the 53rd Earth Day The Kenai Peninsula will celebrate the 33rd Caring for the Kenai (CFK) competition as the final 12 entrants take the stage at the KCHS Little Theatre to present their ideas on improving our environment or preparing for a natural disaster in this annual spring competition, Thursday April 20th. The program begins at 6:00 pm and winners will be announced that evening.
The finalists will be competing for over $8,000 in cash prizes for themselves plus $20,000 in cash awards for their high school classrooms thanks to CFK Signature sponsor Marathon Petroleum and the CFK Community Partners contributing cash for classroom awards including Kenai River Raven Lodge, Peninsula Community Health Services, Hilcorp, Sweeney’s Clothing, KSRM Radio Group, HEA, Eyewear Express, ConocoPhillips and Kenai River Sportfishing Assoc.
This year’s oral presentations will be once again open to the public and streamed live over the internet thanks to Martin Media. Thursday night’s link will be easily available by going to caringforthekenai.com and clicking the link.
Students from high schools Borough wide, including Cook Inlet Academy, Soldotna High School, Homer High, Seward High, Nikiski and home school students participated in this year’s curriculum. “From simple but practical ideas to the use of hi-tech innovations this year’s proposals will challenge us all to do more for our environment and natural disaster preparedness. The oral presentations are unique in Alaska an event not to be missed and a tribute to our school district,” said program creator Merrill Sikorski. “This year’s entries show the creativity and resilience of our Peninsula youth and the dedication of a new generation of educators.”
Now in its 33rd year the CFK community partnership offers cash awards to the best twelve proposals addressing the prompt, “What can I do, invent, or create to better care for the environment on the Kenai Peninsula, or to improve the area’s preparedness for a natural disaster?”
All judging is done anonymously with the student’s name and school not being revealed until after the final oral presentations. This year’s judges will be Bruce Jackman (MPC plant manager), Clayton Holland (KPBSD Supt. of Schools), Borough Mayor Peter Micciche, Ben Wright (PCHS CEO) Pegge Erkeneff (River Raven Sanctuary Lodge) and Abby Youngberg (2022 CFK 1st Place Winner). The public is encouraged to join the presentations in person or online to experience personally the great ideas that have come forward in this 33rd year of Caring for the Kenai.