Dear Teachers-

MEEC is pleased to announce the newest, and sadly, the last essay contest for the 2009/2010 school year. The Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District is sponsoring the essay for May, which is the National Clean Air Month. The title of the essay is “Be Air Aware”. You could go days without food and hours without water, but you would last only a few minutes without air. On average, each of us breathes over 3,000 gallons of air each day. Dif you know that breathing polluted air can make you sick? Protect yourself by checking the Air Quality Index daily to determine pollution levels and health effects.

“Air Quality Awareness Week” is May 3 -7, 2010. Encourage your students to write an essay no more than 250 words in length about why it is important to “Be Air Aware” (for more information visit www.epz.gov/airnow/).

A copy of the flyer may be downloaded here: MDAQMD Essay flyer 2010

Deadline for essay submissions is May 20, 2010 at 5:00 PM. Submissions may be mailed or delivered to: MEEC, 14306 Park Ave, Victorville, Ca 92392 or faxed to: Attn: Christie Robinson, (760) 241-6271

Winners will be notified by phone and invited to attend the MDAQMD Essay Contest Awards Presentation and all winners and their families will be treated to a special tour of the MDAQMD and its Clean Power Education Center!

It’s been a great year with hundreds of wonderful essays submitted by your students. Thank you for encouraging them to learn more about protecting their environment by researching and composing these essays.