2024 Furr High School’s Citizen Science Project Texas A&M Partnership

2024 Furr High School’s Citizen Science Project: Engaging Students in Real-World Environmental Research.

Click here to read the full blog: HTXVoices.com

At Furr High School, we believe that education extends beyond textbooks and classrooms—it thrives in the real world, where students engage with their communities and contribute to meaningful change. In collaboration with Texas A&M University’s School of Public Health (SPH), Texas A&M Superfund Research Center and the U.S. Green Building Council, we introduced the Citizen Science Project—an initiative designed to empower students through hands-on environmental research and public health advocacy, specifically engaging seniors in the Natural Resources vocational career pathway.

This National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)-funded program gave students an opportunity to participate in real-world environmental research while learning critical skills in data collection, public health analysis, and community engagement. By studying local environmental challenges, students gained a deeper understanding of how air, soil, and green spaces impact public health.

Why This Mattered: Environmental and Public Health Concerns

Over the past two decades, researchers have highlighted the importance of urban green spaces for physical and mental well-being. Green spaces help reduce stress, promote physical activity, and improve air quality, yet many communities lack well-maintained parks or face exposure to environmental pollutants (Wolch et al., 2014).

Recognizing the need to preserve and expand green spaces, the Houston City Council approved the Nature Preserve Ordinance in 2022, protecting 7,423 acres of natural habitat in Houston parks (City of Houston, 2024). This policy reinforced the value of environmental conservation and public health, making the work of Furr High School students in the Citizen Science Project even more relevant.

Through this initiative, students assessed the quality of parks, measured air quality, and tested soil for pollutants, contributing data that could help improve environmental conditions in their communities.

“This project gave our students a hands-on opportunity to understand environmental and public health issues in ways they never had before. They weren’t just learning about pollution—they were testing soil, analyzing air quality, and making connections between environmental conditions and community health..”— Juan Elizondo, Natural Resources Vocational Educator and Department Chair at Furr High School