On March 11, 2011, an earthquake struck the east coast of Japan, triggered a thirty-foot Tsunami, which in turn created the largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. In St. Louis, Missouri, a 17 year-old high school senior – with a fascination for all things Japanese plus a curious and scientific mind – heard the news. His name is Richard Zajac and he took his concern for our planet, people and resources far beyond the classroom.
Richard wanted to go to the city of Fukushima, the site of the nuclear power plant, to help and to inspire others to do the same. Conducting his own research, he came up with a plan and convinced his parents to allow him to go – alone. Richard travelled to Japan with ten radiation meters that he scrounged from a US manufacturer and brought his camera to chronicle the journey: promising his parents he would do his best to avoid health and safety risks, in search of what truths he could find in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Richard’s film offers insight from students evacuated from the city and comments from experts including Jean-Michel Cousteau and others. His purpose is purely informational, educational, and non-partisan: a positive, preparedness orientation that is aimed at improving future global safety. This presentation will focus on what Richard captured on film along with commentary from ocean-expert, Jean-Michel Cousteau.
LINKS to additional information:
http://www.sej.org/initiatives/young-journalists/richard-zajac
Article about Richard Zajac by Mary Shapiro of the Suburban-Journals