Environmental Education in Elgin
There has been a shift this past year. Al Gore’s book, “An Inconvenient Truth,” along with the movie of the same name has had a great deal of influence on the American public. Gore takes a no-holds-barred position on the state of our planet and what needs to be done to turn things around. The book argues that it is not too late if we all do our part to affect a positive change on our planet, and there is a lot that can be done.
From the simple act of recycling our garbage (more than half of regular household garbage can be recycled) to changing our light bulbs (Energy Star CFL light bulbs use one-third of the energy of regular light bulbs), every person has the opportunity to have a positive or negative effect on our planet every day.
These lessons are finding a home in local schools. Private schools throughout the Elgin area are incorporating environmental education into the daily curriculum, along with special events and field trips that occur at various grade levels. Following is a brief look at what local children are doing to learn about and take care of our most precious resource — the planet.
The Einstein Academy
(Preschool through Grade 12)
The Einstein Academy is proud to announce that they won a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Education. The Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant will provide the school with the needed resources to take an extensive field trip to the Morton Arboretum during the 2007-08 school year. Students will study the various environments at the Arboretum including wetlands, prairies and woodlands.
This grant is part of the school’s efforts to expand their environmental education programming. Currently, the school is in the process of developing a schoolyard learning environment where students can learn about, take care of, and enjoy the great outdoors on a daily basis.
As part of this initiative, students participated in the “Ponds for Kids” program in the fall of 2006. “Aquascape Designs of St. Charles donated the labor for the pond and the students helped build and design it,” stated Claudia Frost, life skills instructor.
Elgin Academy
(Preschool through Grade 12)
Environmental education at Elgin Academy is very grade specific. From preschool through grade 12, students experience different learning environments and activities that involve learning about and caring for the planet and its resources.
The Upper School’s (grades 9-12) Trip Week program offers students unique opportunities to learn about and experience the natural world. “The program is not just about learning and understanding nature, but living in it and enjoying it as well. The trips help bring back a passion for the environment,” said Erik Calhoun, director of admissions.
Past trip weeks have included freshman traveling to Quetico Provincial Park in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada; sophomores visiting the Hunt Hill Nature Center and Audubon Sanctuary in Wisconsin; and juniors traveling to New Castle, Virginia where they participated in the Wilderness Adventure program at Eagle Landing. Seniors use trip week to visit colleges that they are interested in attending.
Fox River Country Day School
(Preschool through Grade 8)
The students at Fox River Country Day School have a unique advantage — their school resides on 53 acres of grounds that include: protected wetlands; a cedar forest of rare cedar trees; a spring, pond, stream and field; and many Oak trees that are 200-plus years old.
“Our students don’t have to take a field trip to study environmental education. They have the sense of being out-of-doors in a safe and healthy place every day,” said Jennie Friborg of the Advancement Office. The unique landscape of Fox River provides students with the opportunity to take their environmental book learning outdoors whenever the fancy strikes.
All students are involved in learning about and caring for their surroundings from the first day they arrive at Fox River until the day they graduate. A full-time naturalist complements the school’s staff and works to maintain the property, as well as teach the children and their families about the treasure they are able to experience daily.
St. John’s Lutheran School
(Preschool through Grade 8)
Environmental education is a part of each child’s daily curriculum beginning with an emphasis on recycling. “There are recycling bins in every classroom for paper products,” advised Michael Rottmann, principal of St. John’s Lutheran School.
“Our philosophy lies in the fact that we believe God gave us this earth so we need to take care of it,” said Rottmann. Students enrolled in the kindergarten program have an annual Earth Day celebration, which includes time spent cleaning up the school grounds and surrounding areas. As the students collect debris, they learn to separate the recyclable materials from the garbage.
The students continue to learn about the environment throughout their time at St. John’s. The sixth-grade class participates in a week-long camp that includes nature walks and instruction. This past year, the school celebrated its 140th year with the planting of 140 flower bulbs on school property.
St. Mary School
(Kindergarten through Grade 8)
& St. Edward Central Catholic High School
(Grade 9 through Grade12)
The students at St. Mary and St. Edward can look forward to participating in the Conservation Club during their high school years. Currently run by Michael Bimmerle, the school’s Earth Science teacher, the Conservation Club focuses on the impact it can have on its immediate surroundings.
One such area of focus is recycling. The club works to educate students throughout the school with flyers and recycling containers located next to regular garbage bins throughout the grounds. Club members take an active role in helping their fellow students incorporate the habit of recycling into their everyday routine.
“Students also participate in various annual activities to help maintain and beautify the school’s grounds and landscaping,” said Bimmerle. In the classroom, students learn about the environment through research and study. This past year, students wrote papers on the world’s oceans, global warming and extreme weather.
Westminster Christian School
(Preschool through Grade 12)
Every year, students at Westminster are able to experience a unique two-week program: Interim. This program occurs during the two weeks immediately following Christmas break and offers students the opportunity to experience an introduction to a variety of courses that don’t fit in the traditional curriculum.
“During the past school year, a group of students were able to take trip to the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park,” said Lisa McCoy, director of admissions. This trip included a hike down into the Canyon where students camped and explored for several days. The students then went on to explore areas of Zion National Park for a couple of days before returning home.
Students have also participated in mission trips to Guatemala where service outside of the classroom complements what is learned inside the classroom. “It is a wonderful learning environment where children are educated more than just academically,” said McCoy.
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