Massachusetts teen’s photography wins national award, hopes it’ll save forest

THE FORESTS. I WANT TO HELP SAVE THIS FOREST. THE CHALLENGE IS GETTING OTHER PEOPLE TO CARE. LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SEAN GOLDSMITH IS ON A MISSION. HE’S HOPING THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY CAN KEEP A SMALL STRETCH OF FOREST IN HIS HOMETOWN FROM BEING LEVELED BY A DEVELOPER’S BULLDOZER. I’M REVEALING THE UNSEEN WILDLIFE THAT CALLS THESE PATCHES OF WOODS THEIR HOME BY USING MOTION ACTIVATED CAMERAS. THE 18 YEAR OLD CREATED A VIDEO CALLED SAVE THE FOREST AND SUBMITTED IT TO NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S SLINGSHOT CHALLENGE. SOREN WAS ONE OF 1800 TEENS FROM ACROSS 80 COUNTRIES TO TACKLE FIVE TOPICS OF CONCERN ONE MINUTE VIDEOS ADDRESSING EITHER CLIMATE CHANGE, REDUCING WASTE, RESTORING THE OCEANS, CLEAN AIR OR PROTECTING NATURE. THE IDEA IS LIKE, HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO CARE ABOUT PROTECTING A FOREST IF IT’S KIND OF HARD TO CONNECT TO A TREE? NEARLY 3000 OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE COLLABORATE ON THE CONCEPTS WITH ASSISTANCE FROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORERS AND TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE US AND VIA YOUTUBE ANNOUNCEMENT ON FRIDAY, SOREN WAS AWARDED FIRST PLACE. I’M KIND OF STILL A LITTLE BIT IN A STATE OF SHOCK, SOREN SAYS. HE DECIDED TO USE HIS PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AS A TOOL FOR CHANGE BECAUSE AS HE SAYS, IT’S A BIT EASIER TO CARE FOR SOMETHING WHEN YOU CAN SEE IT. I THINK WITH PHOTOGRAPHY, ESPECIALLY MOTION ACTIVATED CAMERA PHOTOGRAPHY, YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES THAT NEVER WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITH LIKE A LIVE PHOTOGRAPHER STANDING THERE BECAUSE IT’S SO EASY TO FEEL LIKE YOU’RE POWERLESS AND LIKE YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING. BUT IT REALLY ISN’T TRUE. AND I THINK THE IDEA THAT THEY’RE SHOWING KIDS WHO ACTUALLY ARE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING, IT’S JUST SO INSPIRING. SAVE THE FOREST IN THE FALL, SOREN’S GOING TO BE STUDYING ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. NOW, AS FAR AS THE $10,000 HE RECEIVED FROM WINNING THE CHALLENGE, SOREN SAYS HE PLANS TO USE SOME OF IT ON NEW CAMERA EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS PUTTING THE REST OF IT I

Massachusetts teen’s photography wins national award, hopes it’ll save forest

A Lexington, Massachusetts, high school senior is one of six teenagers around the world who have won this year’s National Geographic “Slingshot Challenge.”Soren Goldsmith is on a mission, hoping the power of photography can keep a small stretch of forest in his hometown from being leveled by a developer’s bulldozer.”I want to help save this forest. The challenge is getting other people to care,” Goldsmith said. “I’m revealing the unseen wildlife that calls these patches of woods their home.”By using motion-activated cameras, the 18-year-old created a video called “Save the Forest” and submitted it to National Geographic’s “Slingshot Challenge.”Goldsmith was one of 1,800 teens from across 80 countries to tackle five topics of concern. The one-minute videos addressed either climate change, reducing waste, restoring the oceans, clean air, or protecting nature.”The idea is, ‘How are you supposed to care about protecting a forest?’ It’s kind of hard to connect to a tree,” Goldsmith said. Nearly 3,000 other young people collaborated on the concepts with assistance from National Geographic Explorers and teachers from across the United States.

LEXINGTON, Mass. —

A Lexington, Massachusetts, high school senior is one of six teenagers around the world who have won this year’s National Geographic “Slingshot Challenge.”

Soren Goldsmith is on a mission, hoping the power of photography can keep a small stretch of forest in his hometown from being leveled by a developer’s bulldozer.

“I want to help save this forest. The challenge is getting other people to care,” Goldsmith said. “I’m revealing the unseen wildlife that calls these patches of woods their home.”

By using motion-activated cameras, the 18-year-old created a video called “Save the Forest” and submitted it to National Geographic’s “Slingshot Challenge.”

Goldsmith was one of 1,800 teens from across 80 countries to tackle five topics of concern.

The one-minute videos addressed either climate change, reducing waste, restoring the oceans, clean air, or protecting nature.

“The idea is, ‘How are you supposed to care about protecting a forest?’ It’s kind of hard to connect to a tree,” Goldsmith said.

Nearly 3,000 other young people collaborated on the concepts with assistance from National Geographic Explorers and teachers from across the United States.