This Hero Says It's Easy Being Green

(July 6, 2012) It seems that more and more, we see on the television and hear on the radio about the importance of recycling, or being “green.” This week’s Billy Johnson Community Hero truly believes in taking care of… and giving back to nature. Kelly Scott is a science teacher at Pikeville High School and her beliefs have definitely caught on with her students. This year, Kelly says she is more involved than ever. One program she engages in is a water-sampling project through the state called “Watershed Watch.
     “I’m getting way more involved this year so that, one, I know what’s happening where I live. I collect samples here at the school, but I also collect samples at my house so I know the water quality where my dogs go and play in the creek. Everybody can do it. It’s free and you only have to sample 3 times a year: once in summer, once in fall, and once in spring.”
      Kelly says she does this because she truly believes in it. But she knows that being an educator, she can use her passion to teach.
      “It is more about education… and it’s more about this trend across America and across the world about being a “citizen scientist” where you collect data. You become part of this bigger picture.
       In addition she is also very involved in the PRIDE group. In fact, because of Kelly’s passion, Pikeville High School has a very active group called Panther PRIDE. But she says it all started because she, personally, wanted to do something!
      “It all started with me just wanting to make a difference. I just think it’s very sad. We have such an amazing ecosystem here. We have beautiful trees, and we have beautiful land. We have beautiful forests and so many other things. But litter takes away from it. Everybody can do something. Recycle something, pick up something, or plant something. It’s all very easy.”
     Congratulations to Kelly Scott, this week’s Billy Johnson Community Hero.