Local schools celebrate Earth Day with environment-friendly activities
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
For most kids (and adults), just the idea of the word “chore” incites resistance … and probably an eye-roll or two. Whether it’s raking the leaves or cleaning the dishes, none of these seemingly menial tasks could ever live up to playing video games or riding a bicycle. Or can they?
Last Monday, the students of Trevose Day School and Neshaminy Montessori clambered out of the building’s bright red doors, vying to be the first to hold one of the rakes strewn across the yard. No, there wasn’t a hearty allowance or negotiable bedtime on the line. This was the schools’ Earth Day celebration, a highly-anticipated annual event that teaches the pre-K through fifth-graders the importance of protecting their environment.
As the festivities kicked off at 10 a.m., it was as though Mother Nature sensed the students’ excitement. A beautiful 60 degrees with not a cloud in the sky, it was the perfect weather for a day of outdoor adventures.
First in the yard were the fifth-graders, who willingly volunteered to assist their younger peers with the various activities. Each sported a self-designed white T-shirt emblazoned with a pair of “helping hands” and a recycling symbol.
Once the rest of the students were outside, they dispersed across multiple stations to participate in some Earth Day fun. By far, the hot spot was beneath a massive cherry tree, where the kids used rakes and brooms to collect the newly fallen leaves and branches. Together, they cleared the space of unwanted debris, working collaboratively to neatly place it in large trash bags.
“We’re saving the Earth!,” shouted one of the boys, arms full to bursting with twigs.
A few feet away, another group sat at a table filled with colorful pipe cleaners and a large bowl of Cheerios, which they used to craft hangable bird feeders. Though it was nearly impossible to resist munching on the tasty snack, the cherry tree was soon adorned with their cereal masterpieces.
The crafting continued at another station, where students could be found in the creative zone painting rocks gathered from the yard. Once decorated and dried, they would be placed in the school’s rock garden to be showcased year-round.
The fifth-graders took particular pride in a massive red bucket, which was filled to the brim with a gray, goopy liquid. The goop, they explained, was “paper pulp,” which they would later repurpose into new paper for Mother’s Day cards.
The little ones received an educational yet enjoyable lesson in recycling by participating in a mini relay race. Assisted by their teachers, the students worked to determine whether certain items, such as boxes and plastic containers, were recyclable or not, and sort them into large bins accordingly.
Those students looking to enjoy some quiet time were able to pet and read to the schools’ furry and feathered friends located in the back of the yard. Enjoying the serenity of nature was the resident rooster, several chickens named Cupcake and Olivia, and a pair of bunnies, the newest arrivals who would receive names later in the afternoon.
Additional Earth Day activities included eating healthy snacks such as fruits and packing waste-free lunches, weeding and mulching the on-site gardens, planting donated cabbage plants, and launching a kitchen scrap garden, which taught the students how to make the most out of their food, including produce that has gone bad.
According to head of school Gwynne Frischmann, what the students learned during Earth Day ties into summer activities they’ll enjoy at Trevose Day School and Neshaminy Montessori. The curriculum of the toddler and “Young Explorers” camps include outdoorsy activities aimed at teaching kids early on about the importance of environmental preservation. By raising students to be connected with nature, Frischmann explained it creates sensitivity to their environment, and helps them want to take care of the earth, its wildlife and nature as a whole.
“We love doing outdoor learning opportunities during school and for our summer camp,” she said.
Based on the students’ unflagging energy throughout the Earth Day celebration, it’s safe to say they love it, too.
For more information on Trevose Day School and Neshaminy Montessori, both landmark educational institutions in Bucks County for more than 45 years, visit trevosedayschool.org and neshaminymontessori.org. ••
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
