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History The Shepherd Environmental Organization was founded in the fall of 1997. SEO was a small group of students who were determined to get recycling on the Shepherd College campus. Originally, three separate proposals for how recycling could be brought to campus were turned into the Vice President of Finance at the college. After a year of running in circles, SEO decided to take action. They collected 4,000 aluminum cans that represented all of the students enrolled in college and dumped them on the lawn of the administration building. The students of SEO stood by the pile of cans and had people sign a petition to get recycling on campus. Finally at the end of the day there was a proposal brought up, approved, and to be acted upon immediately to bring recycling of aluminum and plastic to the Shepherd College campus. The aim of SEO now remained in question, as the reason for its existence had been met. Some wanted SEO to have a large outreach component to the community. Some wanted SEO to have a large educational component. From then on SEO has been involved on many different projects with various federal entities such as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. SEO has also sponsored and supported many environmental awareness projects both on and off campus. Two major projects that SEO is deeply rooted in are the Jefferson County Youth Recycling Project which involves the Jefferson County Solid Waste Authority and SEO's annual Earth Day-tona Fest celebration. The Jefferson County Youth Recycling Project was the brainchild of Jefferson Co. SWA member Jim Jenkins. What Jim did was talk to the Jefferson Co. School Board and worked out where in each art class grades K-8 in Jefferson Co. schools, the students would draw recycling-themed pictures. The top thirteen submitted would be put into a calendar featuring the drawings and sold to the general public. Once the pictures had been judged, the drawings were given to SEO, who hired a graphics design major to come up with a formatted disc of the calendar, and then SWA would take the disc to the printers and pay to have the calendars run off. Once the calendars were produced, SEO would take the calendars and sell them all over Jefferson Co. at various functions and events. "It's a great thing, not only does it get kids involved in recycling, but it also gets the word out to their parents, and to the larger community in general," remarked SEO President Matthew Mullenax. Earth Day-tona Fest can best be described as the pride of SEO. The celebration is held around the actual Earth Day in late April and involves a large range of activities. Many local, statewide, and federal environmental organizations are invited, and set up booths and pass out information. The entire day is laced with music played by local bands and musicians. One of the most popular events held during Earth Day-tona Fest is the tricycle race, where people can "race for the environment" and win prizes. The first celebration was held on April 11, 1999, and despite a long day of heavy rain, drew a crowd of more than 300 people. The next year the celebration was held on April 16, 2000, and with the help of good weather and special speaker Secretary of State Ken Hechler, drew over 600 people. Said this about the festival by Dr. Ed Snyder, SEO advisor and Geology and Policy professor, "Earth Day links the college with the past, present, and future of environmental awareness, and promotes the prospect of a greater environmental future." Matthew T. Mullenax 10/26/00