More than 140 students will gather together one last time on Wednesday, June 6 from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Nature Center (KNC) to celebrate the new friendships and shared experiences gained during the Outside in Our Schoolyard program.
Students from Kalamazoo Public School’s, El Sol Elementary and Woodward, along with Mattawan Later Elementary, and The Montessori School in Kalamazoo, have participated in the program throughout the school year.
El Sol planting
Now in its third year, the program added a research element to include the study of imperiled and native butterflies and preservation of habitat. Students have expanded or are creating native butterfly gardens at their schools and have visited each others schoolyards enjoying naturalist-led activities.
Along with the schoolyard visits, students have participated in a service day hosted by Western Michigan University (WMU). More than 30 volunteers and parents joined the students at WMU’s Asylum Lake Preserve as they traveled thru 4 nature activity stations focusing on community building and conservation.
The field trip to KNC on June 6 will wrap up the year with group activities to reinforce what they have learned about plant and animal habitats and conservation. The Outside in Our Schoolyard program is led by the Kalamazoo Nature Center with support from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Getman Corporation, Greg Jennings Foundation, and the Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones Education Fund.
Visit www.NatureCenter.org to learn more about the Outside in Our Schoolyard project and the No Child Left Inside Initiative.
News release and photos from Kalamazoo Nature Center
