Organizations from all across Maryland came to AACC on Saturday to encourage students to fight against climate change on Saturday.

Sixteen environmental activist groups participated in AAYEAS, or the Anne Arundel Youth Environmental Action Summit, to teach high school and college students ways to help protect their local environments from climate change.

“All of these organizations that are up here are volunteering their time because they so badly want to bring opportunities and information to young people,” Environmental Center Director Tammy Domanski said.

According to Domanski, Jen Brianas, an organizer, and her daughters Maddy and Bella Brianas, high school students, brought the idea for the event to her.

“[They] had approached me about maybe doing some volunteer work with the Environmental Center and we were thinking about ideas,” Domanski said. “Then Jen Brianas reached out and said, ‘I saw this website for these environmental summit things,’ and I said, ‘Hey, that sounds like a great idea.’”

Domanski said the event “blossomed into something bigger” this year due to student feedback.

“They wanted things that were more active,” Domanski said.

This year students had the opportunity to plant grass seeds that would be grown in the campus greenhouse before being sent to Providence of Maryland, to help restore wetlands and marshes.

Second-year plant science student Alex Bradford said it’s “really exciting” to see students volunteer to help restoration efforts for wetlands and marshes.

“The wetlands that those grasses are going to are … important,” Bradford said. “They’re important for the watershed ecosystem, so, like, drainage and runoff, but also pollution.”

According to Michael Norman, the laboratory manager for the Biology Department and the Environmental Center, student volunteers planted enough seeds for 20,000 cells.

“Students are starting to show a lot more engagement,” Norman said. “It’s something that we want to try to build on.”

Alongside volunteer opportunities, the environmental activist groups brought internships and job opportunities to students, according to Domanski.

“They want … to bring the younger generation into this,” Domanski said. “They need an outlet.”