SCHOOL EVENTS
Schools are an integral part of the community and our relationships with our formal education partners are dear to us and our biggest inspiration. Ensuring that our kids connect with nature builds their environmental identity, promotes social advocacy through the development of citizen and leadership skills, and helps them connect with the world around them.
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New Pollinator Garden!
The school year began with the start of a new pollinator garden for Paterson Public School 26. The remediation of green space in a prime area of school property was a group effort that enlisted middle school students excited to increase local biodiversity by attracting pollinators and encouraging local and migrating bird visitors. Students learned about pollinator plants, soil pH, local biodiversity, and plant care.
Clearing up weeds and invasive plants is a tough job!
Smiles and strength will get the job done!
School 26 8th graders celebrate their efforts in a group photo
Clearing up weeds and invasive plants is a tough job!
River adventures
Partnering with Wilderness Inquiry, SOAR Education turned landlubbers into canoeists in no time! Students from STEAM High School, East Side High School, and School 26 middle school students and their teachers traveled along the Passaic River and learned about working cooperatively, local wildlife diversity, and the amazing history of the river that they see everyday!
Middle School
Click for sound - you'll love the "paddle up" song of the incoming group!
High School
Local Biodiversity
Students learn of the impact of trash that is woven into birds' nests
Students interact with an art installation that consists of a multicolored series of disks that double as temperature and flood gauges
Students perform food catching duties of various animals in a food web
Students learn of the impact of trash that is woven into birds' nests
Dundee Island Park in Passaic County proved to be the perfect spot for students and teachers to learn about local bird species, migration patterns, native plants, and the impact of climate change on the river and local plant life.
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Open for just a year, the park is a necessary new addition to the Passaic County park system and is another way to encourage residents to make a connection with nature and their local environment.
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Students and teachers have already been inspired to return on their own for more birdwatching adventures!
Belleville Green Fair
Environmental education, sustainability, and tips on how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle were of big interest to all participants of the green fair. Visitors learned about how to create gardens comprised of native plants and decorated their own habitat hideaways for garden visitors. Students and teachers of the school learned about the urban ecology of their local environment. Our ambassador animals enlightened visitors of local biodiversity and how to protect it by engaging in daily acts of "eco-kindness).
