Outdoor learning at West Carter Middle
June 18, 2014 by clackey
West Carter Middle School PRIDE Club members used two-liter bottles to build this unique greenhouse in the school’s outdoor learning center.
For creating an outdoor learning center, the West Carter Middle School PRIDE Club won the PRIDE Environmental Education Project of the Month Award.
Members of the school’s PRIDE Club, which explores nature and performs community service, built the outdoor learning center over the past two years. It features a wetland, a greenhouse built from two-liter bottles and a classroom shelter with work tables and benches.
The outdoor learning center is available to all students to learn a variety of subjects while gaining an appreciation for the environment. The space also created habitat for wildlife.
“Involving our students in this community service project has been a wonderful learning experience for them, and the outdoor classroom that they helped develop will serve our school for many years to come,” said Beverly McDavid, the teacher who sponsors the school’s PRIDE Club.
“We want to thank the individuals and agencies that have made the development of our outdoor classroom possible,” McDavid added.
Grayson Lake State Park donated old work tables and benches, which students refurbished. The Center for Wetland and Stream Restoration helped build the wetland. A PRIDE grant paid for the classroom shelter, restoring the benches, nesting boxes and a butterfly garden. McDavid also recognized volunteers Duane McDavid and Donnie Owens, Jr.
The school held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the outdoor learning center on May 8. All students and staff participated, as well as Superintendent Ronnie Dotson, Kentucky Environmental Education Council Executive Director Elizabeth Schmitz and representatives of the Kentucky State Parks and PRIDE.
“Students, staff and the community have poured so much work into building this outdoor classroom, and this ceremony was a great way to acknowledge that effort,” said PRIDE’s Mark Davis, who presented the PRIDE award during the event.
The PRIDE Environmental Education Project of the Month Award rewards creative, effective ways of promoting environmental awareness and stewardship. PRIDE presents one award each month to a school within the 42 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky.
Follow PRIDE online at www.facebook.com/EasternKentuckyPRIDE. View more photos of West Carter Middle School’s outdoor learning center at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.661912870530376.1073741834.133556566699345&type=3&uploaded=5#!/media/set/?set=a.661912870530376.1073741834.133556566699345&type=1.
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