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Earth Day provides a special opportunity for Croton-Harmon students to celebrate a cause that is near and dear to their hearts all 365 days of the year. Education about and action related to sustainability, biodiversity, conservation and much more is fundamental to the curriculum - and culture - in our schools. And our students take great pride in their involvement.
At CET, students are keeping a close eye on a live cam focused on an osprey nest in which eggs are close to hatching. They are also immersed in the Hudson River project, learning about what lives in the river, the land around it and the challenges to keep it clean. Beginning in kindergarten - yes, kindergarten - students are challenged to think creatively and use problem solving skills to conceptualize, then draw, an invention that could help clean the garbage in the river. They did not disappoint! From a water-adapted bulldozer to submarines to specially designed garbage cans, students presented ideas that would make professional engineers proud.
“I knew that I had to find a way to get the garbage off the bottom and the top so I made something with two parts to do both,” explained one student who proudly displayed his drawing.
In PVC they are diligently preparing for state testing but took time to ensure that Earth Day was included in the morning announcements with suggestions of getting outdoors and reminders about recycling.
At the high school, the Student Faculty Congress has been sharing information and hands-on projects throughout the week, with each grade presenting a different topic. On Monday, the freshman members created a game to educate students about invasive species in our area. Many boat owners may be oblivious to the fact that organisms like zebra mussels are often carried to the Hudson on the hull of their boat and then go on to wreak havoc on the environment. On Wednesday, the juniors did a hands-on activity, showing students how to turn old t-shirts into reusable tote bags.
SFC member and junior Nick Godek explained that the juniors picked t-shirt tote bags because fast fashion is a huge issue within society, so we wanted to emphasize the importance of reusing and recycling clothes, sometimes for new purposes, like a tote bag.
“With the leadership of Shoshana, Student Faculty Congress held a week of activities with sustainable themes,” Nick said. “We all need to take action in fighting climate change, and small things like making tote bags from t-shirts can contribute to the necessary overall societal change.”
