Environmental Adventure Day

Wednesday was our spring Environmental Adventure Day at Southeastway Park. This is an event we have for schools in Franklin Township. We invited nineteen presenters and nineteen classes of students. Each class visited five stations and learned all about various nature and environmental subjects.

Frank Rouse, a naturalist from Holliday Park, is pointing out a nest in our parking lot of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Their nest is a wonder of construction, made of spiderwebs and lichens. Frank taught the class Birds and Binoculars.

Donna Rogler, State Coordinator for Project Learning Tree, is showing the students a leaf. She taught the children all about the trees at our Park.

Jackie Hill(in the bright blue shirt), children's librarian from the Franklin branch of Indianapolis Marion County Public Library, led the program Wolves, Chickens and Pancake Fun. All were entertained with a story, then they flipped pancakes as the ran across the field.

Fritz Nerding, a cool cat from Garfield Park, allowed everyone to get up close and personal with some slithery friends. He taught the class Super Snakes and educated the children about all the cool adaptations snakes possess.

Recycling Relay got the kids moving while learning about recycling. Jenny Woolsen-Helrigel with IDEM office of Pollution Prevention and Technical Assistance led this session.

Leland Kinnett with Project Wild showed children all the amazing creatures that live in our soil. They also had an opportunity to head into the woods, roll over logs and look for millipedes, roly-polies, worms and other critters.

Adam Barnes from Holliday Park showed children fossils and taught them what it might be like to be a paleontologist.

The kids were all given cookies and instructed to carefully remove all the chocolate chips and M & Ms using only toothpicks! Then they were instructed to give them to all to me for sampling. No, I am fibbing. :)

Dawn Thomas, Brad Shoger and Judy Aikman from Eagle Creek Park brought their birds of prey for a visit. Judy is holding a demon Barred Owl straight from the depths of Hades. Or maybe my flash made its eyes appear red. I think the first explanation makes for a much better story. ;)

I want to thank all of my terrific volunteers for helping us pull off this fun event. We couldn't do it without all your help. Thanks soooo much!!!!