Cubihatcha Welcomes Strong Rock on Earth Day
To commemorate the annual Earth Day celebration on April 22, the Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) hosted third grade students from Strong Rock Christian School for a field trip to its Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center.
Approximately 40 students enjoyed outdoor education by rotating through three classes held at various learning stations scattered across the Cubihatcha Center’s campus.
The first class taught by HCWA staff included an Enviroscape learning station led by the Cubihatcha Center’s Adam Waits and HCWA Environmental Compliance Coordinator Lindsey Sanders. During this class, students learned about the various sources of stormwater pollution and how they might be able to prevent harmful materials and substances from entering our water supply, in turn protecting the community and Mother Earth.
The second class in the rotation, taught by Cubihatcha Center Naturalist Maranda Stonica, featured a learning station on animals native to the state and region. The students made observations and answered quiz questions that highlighted facts and figures about local species that were on display, including deer, owls, wood ducks, turkeys, squirrels, and more.
The final outdoor classroom in the rotation for the Strong Rock students to enjoy was a demonstration on Honey Bees, led by master beekeeper and Cubihatcha Center Naturalist Zeb Brown. During this session, students learned the importance of pollination and the role honey bees play in nature, even in helping to bring various foods to our table.
Following the morning classes, when all students had an opportunity to visit each learning station, Strong Rock parents, teachers, and HCWA staff led the group to the nearby Long Branch Reservoir for some fishing, prior to lunch and their departure.
“The Strong Rock third graders were able to enjoy the outdoor education experience similar to what the students from Henry County Schools go through during our Cubihatcha Kids field trips in the fall,” says Ken Pressley, HCWA Reservoir Manager who oversees operations at the Cubihatcha Center. “Our hope is they now will be more aware and knowledgeable about what we do and how they can become more involved in the conservation and protection of our natural resources.”
Earth Day is an annual celebration globally on April 22. It began in 1970, and its intent is to celebrate the environmental diversity of Earth, while highlighting ways in which communities can become more involved in helping to protect it. Earth Day is widely noted as the largest and most concentrated celebration of environmental stewardship in the world.
Please visit our website photo galleries for pictures from this year’s Earth Day Celebration at the HCWA Cubihatcha Center.
Captions for photos (top to bottom)
The Cubihatcha Center's Adam Waits (left) teaches students lessons in stormwater pollution and prevention using the popular Enviroscape model.
Maranda Stonica (far right), Cubihatcha Center Naturalist, teaches students about owls and their local habitat.
Zeb Brown (far right), Cubihatcha Center Naturalist, explains the importance of honey bees to nature and agriculture.
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Media contact:
Chris Wood, Ph.D.
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