Wilmington’s Cab Calloway School of the Arts Crowned Junior Solar Sprint Champion

A team from Wilmington’s Cab Calloway School of the Arts won the annual Junior Solar Sprint competition held at Delaware State University. Left to right above, three members of the Cab Calloway team celebrate the school’s second straight Junior Solar Sprint Championship: Ashvin Sharma, Chetan Kasukurthi and Viraj Mehta. /DNREC photo

Middle School Students Build, Race Solar Vehicles

Cab Calloway School of the Arts from Wilmington accumulated the most points in combined design, portfolio and race competitions to earn first place in the 2024 Junior Solar Sprint held today on the campus of Delaware State University. Holy Cross School of Dover came second in the competitions, while Sussex Montessori School of Seaford was third.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) teams up with the Delaware Technology Student Association (TSA) for the event each year. Students in grades 5 through 8 work with classmates and teacher advisors over several months to build model cars powered by solar photovoltaic cells, better known as solar panels.

“We are proud to partner with the TSA to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math through the annual Junior Solar Sprint,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Expectations are high for the competitors each year, and students once again rose to the occasion in their creativity, teamwork and head-to-head race competition.”

Dayna Cobb, Director of DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy, said the annual Junior Solar Sprint is an event the Division looks forward to hosting each year. “Climate change is pushing the state, nation and world to find solutions by developing clean energy technologies to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere,” she said. “The Junior Solar Sprint demonstrates how, by working together, we can achieve positive results in tackling the environmental challenges we face today, and which we will continue to face in the future.”

Students received points for project portfolios, overall design and fastest speed in a timed competition. The team accumulating the most points wins. TSA-affiliated teams also can earn the opportunity to represent Delaware against other students from around the country in the national TSA conference, which is being held in Orlando, Florida in June.

Teams from five Delaware schools participated in the 2024 competition, including Las Americas ASPIRA Academy, Newark; Cab Calloway School of the Arts; Holy Cross School; May B. Leasure Elementary School, Newark; and Sussex Montessori School.

Competition results:

The all-around winners for combined speed, design and portfolio presentations were:

1^st place: Team #2, Chetan Kasukurthi, Vedic Mukherjee, Viraj Mehta and Ashvin Sharma from Cab Calloway School of the Arts;
2^nd place: Team #10, Kehllan Thomas, Luke Curley, Gavin Reed and Sam Shevok from Holy Cross School
3^rdplace: Team #7, Brayden Nichols, Joellen Reinke and Liam Cannon from Sussex Montessori School

Top results from the double elimination races were:

1^st place: Team #7, Brayden Nichols, Joellen Reinke and Liam Cannon from Sussex Montessori School
2^nd place: Team #2, Chetan Kasukurthi, Vedic Mukherjee, Viraj Mehta and Ashvin Sharma from Cab Calloway School of the Arts
3^rd place: Team #10, Kehllan Thomas, Luke Curley, Gavin Reed and Sam Shevok from Holy Cross School

Top results from the design competition were:

1^st place, Team #8, Cadence Wahl and Keira Clarke from Las Americas ASPIRA Academy;
2^nd place, Team #10, Kehllan Thomas, Luke Curley, Gavin Reed and Sam Shevok from Holy Cross School;
3^rd place, Team #6, Rhys Scott, Portia Jalloh, Nypha Gatimu and Sakari Watson from May B. Leasure Elementary School.

Top results from the portfolio competition were:

1^st place: Team #2, Chetan Kasukurthi, Vedic Mukherjee, Viraj Mehta and Ashvin Sharma from Cab Calloway School of the Arts;
2^nd place: Team #6, Rhys Scott, Portia Jalloh, Nypha Gatimu and Sakari Watson from May B. Leasure Elementary School;
3^rd. place: Team #8, Cadence Wahl and Keira Clarke from Las Americas ASPIRA Academy.

Visit de.gov/solarsprint for more information on the Junior Solar Sprint.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

Delaware Advances Toward 1 Million Tree Planting Goal

DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, left, works with a colleague to plant another tree in the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative whose goal is to get 1 million trees planted in the First State by 2023 /DNREC photo

Seven New Projects Will Add 35,000 Trees to Take Total Planted Thus Far into the Initiative Beyond 200,000 by End of 2024

The Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI) is making significant progress toward the goal of planting 1 million trees by 2030. The initiative has awarded funding to seven new projects, which will push the total count beyond 200,000 trees this year.

Through TEDI, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service works with conservation partners to enhance and support tree-planting projects throughout the state.

“Along with transitioning to clean energy sources, increased energy efficiency and clean transportation initiatives, TEDI is a key component of Delaware’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in our atmosphere,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Trees improve air and water quality, preserve soil and support wildlife, and they play a critical role in helping to fight climate change.”

The seven newly funded projects, which were selected from among 15 applications, will receive a combined $238,500 for planting 35,000 trees.

The projects that received funding are located throughout the state of Delaware, from Frankford to Wilmington. They involve a range of organizations, including nonprofits, towns and schools. Project recipients and project locations include:

Center for the Inland Bays in Georgetown and Lewes
City of Newark along the Pomeroy Trail bike path
Delaware Interfaith Power and Light for planting in Newark and Wilmington
Delaware Technical Community College across its campuses
Delaware Wild Lands in Middletown and Frankford
St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Middletown
Village of Ardencroft for planting in New Castle County

In fiscal year 2023, a total of 10,845 trees were planted on approximately 27 acres using TEDI funds. The 2023 TEDI annual report can be found on the DNREC website.

Additional funding opportunities, as well as a list of nurseries that carry native trees, tips on tree care, and a TEDI tree tracker can be found by visiting de.gov/tedi. Delawareans can help TEDI reach its goal by adding details about newly planted trees on their property into the tracker.

Media Contacts: Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

Governor Carney, Secretary Garvin Celebrate Expansion of White Clay Creek State Park

DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation Open Space Program Planner Kerri Batrowny, Open Space Program Council member Lorraine Fleming, Division Director Ray Bivens, DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, President of Friends of White Clay Creek State Park David Koppeser and Gov. John Carney celebrate the addition of 275 acres to White Clay Creek State Park./DNREC photo.

Gov. John Carney and Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin today celebrated and hiked newly acquired land that expands White Clay Creek State Park in Newark. This expansion of the nearly 3,650-acre park marks a historic environmental investment to enhance recreational opportunities, bolster wildlife habitats, and preserve additional open spaces in New Castle County.

Three new land acquisitions will add 275 acres, or the equivalent to 7.5% of White Clay Creek State Park land holdings. The acquisition of properties is progressing in three phases:

Phase 1: about 90 acres – Acquisition completed in September 2023.
Phase 2: about 97 acres – Acquisition completed in January 2024
Phase 3: about 88 acres – Acquisition anticipated mid-2024

The $26 million in acquisitions is being funded by multiple sources, including:

The Open Space Program – $20 million from Fiscal Year 2023; the usual annual allocation to the program is $10 million.
Mt. Cuba Center with The Conservation Fund – $6 million
The Acres for America Program – $500,000

“I have no doubt that our award-winning state parks are a real reason folks decide to call Delaware home. That’s why it’s important we continue to invest in our parks, especially those near the most densely populated areas, including White Clay Creek State Park,” said Governor Carney. “It’s on all of us to preserve this land for future generations. I want to thank the public servants at the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control who helped make this expansion possible through our Open Space program. I also want to thank Mt. Cuba Center, The Conservation Fund and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Acres for America program for their partnership.”

The acquisition of these three properties aligns with the White Clay Creek State Park Master Plan, which emphasizes keeping the park natural and maximizing its nearly 40-mile trail system. The expansion of the park underscores Delaware’s dedication to preserving natural resources.

“Delaware is not able to create more land. The opportunity to preserve this much land in New Castle County is one-of-a-kind,” said DNREC Secretary Garvin. “The newly acquired land meets all the criteria for a high-quality habitat, connects to existing park land, including surrounding parks and open spaces, and will provide more areas for people to walk and recreate. As part of the Delaware State Parks system, this land will receive the high caliber of environmental stewardship the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation is known for.”

The additional land also increases the potential to attract rare species to northern Delaware, such as the Northern Parula warbler and Northern Harrier hawk, the Bridle shiner (a species of minnow), Longtail salamanders and the federally endangered Northern Long-Eared Bat.

The entire White Clay Creek Watershed is part of the National Park Service’s designated Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The three property acquisitions further protect this watershed, including the water quality of Middle Run Creek and its connecting bodies of water. White Clay hosts a variety of ecosystems including wooded uplands, freshwater wetlands, open meadows and steep stream valleys.

When the Open Space Program was created in 1990, there were 669,063 residents living among Delaware’s 1.6 million acres. Delaware’s population now stands at just over 1 million residents and continues to grow.

From 1990 to date, the Open Space Program has protected 65,819 acres. The program has spent $294 million dollars of state money and leveraged $109 million from public and private partnerships. Landowners who wish to conserve their land through Delaware’s Open Space Program may go to de.gov/openspace to learn more.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Shauna McVey, shauna.mcvey@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

State Agencies Join Forces Against Illegal Trash Dumping

More than 2,300 pounds of trash and debris was cleaned up at Taber State Forest./DNREC photo.

Natural Resources Police, DelDOT, DDA and DOC Clean up State Forest

Four state agencies recently teamed up to clean up more than 2,300 pounds of trash and debris illegally dumped and strewn at Taber State Forest in western Kent County – Delaware Natural Resources Police (DNRP), Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and Department of Corrections (DOC).

The cleanup came about after the DNRP Environmental Crimes Unit (ECU) was alerted to illegal dumping activity within the state forest and surrounding area. Items dumped along the roadway and at the entrance to the state forest parking area included furniture, tires, household trash, animal carcasses and other debris. The roadway was also heavily inundated with litter.

“Since 2019, when Governor Carney launched the Keep DE Litter Free initiative to help reduce litter in Delaware, the Environmental Crimes Unit and other Delaware Natural Resources Police units have done our part to thwart illegal dumping across the state,” said ECU Chief Daniel Wood. “So far this year, Delaware Natural Resources Police have handled 95 dumping complaints, resulting in 24 arrests. Anyone arrested for illegal disposal of solid waste, dumping, and littering can expect to pay heavy fines if convicted.”

Under Delaware Code, those found guilty of the illegal disposal of solid waste face a minimum fine of $500 for each charge, with a maximum of $1,500. Violators may also be ordered to pay restitution to the state for costs of cleaning up illegally dumped waste and ordered to perform community service by removing solid waste that was illegally disposed.

Anyone found guilty of littering in Delaware will be fined a minimum of $50 and sentenced to up to eight hours of community service for a first-time offense. A person found guilty of illegal dumping faces a minimum fine of $500 and not less than eight hours of community service. Those found guilty of illegal dumping or littering along a Delaware Byway, in a state-owned park, state forest or wildlife area, or in a national wildlife refuge or on land administered by the United States Department of Interior National Park Service in the state of Delaware, face an additional $500 penalty.

Delaware Natural Resources Police units encourage Delawareans to make use of the Delaware Solid Waste Authority’s Facility Finder map to find locations where they can properly dispose of their solid waste. Residents can dispose of household garbage for as little as $1 per bag at one of DSWA’s collection stations, while bulk items can be taken to transfer stations or landfills with a pay-by-weight system.

Delaware residents and visitors to the First State alike are encouraged to report illegal dumping by calling DNREC’s 24-hour complaint line at 800-662-8802 or by submitting a complaint through the DENRP Tip 411 app.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

DNREC to Offer Earth Day Beach Cleanup, Kids Crafts

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control invites kids to participate in crafts and activities and volunteers to join in a beach cleanup as part of the agency’s annual celebration of Earth Month.

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife will host two public events for Earth Month:

Earth Day Kids Crafts, Saturday, April 20, at the DuPont Nature Center, 2992 Lighthouse Road, Milford, DE 19963. Registration is not required, and participants can drop in between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to make their own special Earth Day craft from provided recycled materials while learning about how to take care of our planet.
Slaughter Beach Cleanup, Earth Day Monday, April 22. Volunteers will meet at the Slaughter Beach Pavilion, 359 Bay Avenue, Milford, DE. The program will be presented twice, from 10 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 2 p.m. Registration is not required, and participants should arrive by the starting time to join DuPont Nature Center naturalists combing the beach for fascinating aquatic creatures and cleaning up any trash along the way. Trash bags and pickers will be provided.

Located east of Milford near Slaughter Beach, the DuPont Nature Center overlooks Mispillion Harbor, where the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek meet to flow out into the Delaware Bay. Open April through September, the center offers field trips, tours and other educational programs and events for schools, community groups, families and the general public. The surrounding estuary habitat includes more than 130 species of birds, fish, shellfish, and other animals, including horseshoe crabs and shorebirds.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###