Inspiring future scientists with DonorsChoose: the challenge begins!

Today marks the start of the 2012 DonorsChoose Science Bloggers For Students Challenge. From today until the 5th November, science bloggers far and wide are joining together to help teachers give their students the science education they deserve. Over the past couple of years, the combined might of the earth and ocean science bloggers has raised more than $7,000: we’re hoping that our enthusiasm, and your generosity, will help us to match or exceed that performance this year. As far as we’re concerned, anything that puts more earth science into the lives and schools of todays children is an exceedingly good thing: it connects them more strongly with the planet we live on, and will possibly inspire a life-long interest in science that will serve them well whatever they end up doing with their lives.

To that end, we at Highly Allochthonous have created our own DonorsChoose giving page, and selected some earth science-related projects that we hope to raise some funds for. Amongst them is an Ohio class asking for turbidity and light sensors to measure drinking water purity; a California class hoping to learn how to design quake-proof buildings; or – in a case that has us both fluctuating between sadness and anger at the state of education funding – you could help a Baltimore teacher buy a printer and paper to produce class worksheets, in the absence of any textbooks.

Other geobloggers are also joining in: Erik Klemetti of Eruptions is promoting some – shock – volcano-related projects, and Southern Fried Science is trawling for marine biology. More will hopefully be joining in in the next few weeks, and we’ll keep you updated on our progress – as will the widget on our sidebar.

This week is also Earth Science Week, which gives us all an even better reason to do our bit for promoting geological education. Even a few dollars can make a difference, so please consider donating and spreading the word.