Northgate students, from left, Kelia Morrison, Sarah Amick and Rachelle Mortimer are spearheading an Earth Day project that not only will teach fellow students about environmental conservation, but get them involved in saving gorilla habitats.

Northgate High School recently kicked off its "Lights Off" project in celebration of Earth Day. The project began on April 9 and runs through April 19.

Lights Off is a celebration of environmental awareness and student activism. Each day begins with a segment on the Northgate in-house morning news program, in which a rotating roster of guest speakers, students and teachers offer environmental information, tips for conservation, and introduce specific environmental initiatives, including a joint pro-ject between Northgate and the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.

For example, the Northgate/Pittsburgh Zoo initiative encourages students to recycle old cell phones and outdated electronics to benefit the Eastern Lowland Gorilla in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The habitat of the Eastern Lowland Gorilla is being destroyed through mining for coltan, an ore used in many electronic devices.

"By recycling the old electronics, we decrease the need to mine for the materials needed for new electronics," said student Sarah Amick, who created the Lights Off Project. She added, "And that's what the whole project is about, getting information out there so people can make a difference, even on a small, local level."

Sarah and fellow juniors Rachelle Mortimer and Kelia Morrison oversee the project, focusing their school's attention on the need to conserve fossil fuels and become active in their community. The Lights Off Project concludes at the end of the school day on April 19 with a countdown celebration, after which the lights will go off, schoolwide, at Northgate High School.