Stewardship Through Leadership: Backyard Adventures! after-school environmental education programs for youth of the city of Lowell.  'Where Earth Day is everyday!'

Goal of the program (STL): To expose urban youth to the outdoor classroom where they will build upon their in-school science & technology and math curricula, become engaged in constructive environmental stewardship in their community, and build self-esteem through team and leadership opportunities.

Where we explore and make a difference: The City of Lowell is our outdoor classroom where our field studies are carried out.  Lowell is home to a multitude of natural resources, ecosytems and geological features, which are the sites and subjects of our studies and action-based environmental stewardship projects.

Summer 2011 programming sites include Freshman Academy-Compass Program, Daley Middle School, Spindle City Corps, Girls Incorporated, and CTI at the Lincoln School.

FALL 2011 PROGRAMMING IN REVIEW

FRESHMAN ACADEMY

The fall session at the Lowell High School’s Freshman Academy was filled with exciting stewardship projects, native animal visitors, and an enthusiasm to learn.  We had a wonderfully engaged group of kids with diverse interests, but came together to learn about the important habitats in their own backyard and to become stewards the places we love today.

We started the year by getting out of the classroom and getting our hands dirty. The students wanted to beautify the school alley, so we gathered hostas and fall bulbs and planted away. The kids are looking forward to seeing their hard work pay off by way of beautiful flowers in the spring.  We also learned about hands-on stewardship by pulling an invasive plant along the Concord River Greenway and preparing the flower beds for winter. The students are also trying out their green thumbs growing herbs in the classroom, which will be used at the high school restaurant.

To build upon our stewardship experiences in the habitats in Lowell, we took field trips to explore the important natural areas right next door. We traversed the River Walk, conducted a nature scavenger hunt in Boardinghouse Park, and even ventured to LP&CT’s newest conservation property, Hawk Valley Farm to learn about the historic landscape.  These outdoor classrooms provide tangible experiences for the students to expand on the in-school curricula of science and technology, which makes the lessons come to life.

Not only have we observed the natural areas nearby, but we have had animal visitors that help culminate all of the lessons we learned on our field trips.  Visitors included everything from earthworms and honeybees to mice, a box turtle, a rabbit, barred owl and even a groundhog.  These in-class, close-up visitors get the kids to ask questions, overcome fears, make observations, and link the importance of these animals to the habitats that we explored.

We look forward to more stewardship projects around the high school, including plans for a vegetable and pollinator garden, but one of the most exciting projects is a head start program for two young snapping turtles. Through our partnership with Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, we are able to support two snapping turtles (Tooter and Tuche) through the winter where they will grow in a protected environment. The extra care and accelerated growth will enable them to better avoid predators and give them fighting chance when they are released in their native habitat this spring.

  

This fall at Freshman Academy we have made strong connections to the habitats in right here in Lowell. We have built upon their in-school curricula and the students now have the tools, skills, and desire to become stewards of these important places.

 

ROBINSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

This fall we’ve had the pleasure of working with energetic and enthusiastic students at the Robinson Middle school.  Our group comes from all over the world including Liberia, Iraq, Thailand, Cambodia, and China.  Although these students grew up in different environments, they are eager to learn about their new surroundings and it provides an excellent source of questions and the ability to compare differences and similarities.

We explored the Robinson School yard looking for everything from bugs to birds.  The students have used their keen observation skills to learn about the habitats within the schoolyard.  We incorporated some fun games that illustrated the concepts of water movement, the importance of trees, how birds migrate, and predator-prey relationships.   This outdoor classroom provided opportunities for students to learn how to measure, calculate, and observe which builds upon their in-school math and science curricula.

Our sessions were also filled with animal visitors, including an American kestrel, a groundhog, a wood turtle, a red tailed hawk, a corn snake, and more.  The most interesting aspect is seeing the change in the students when they observe the animals.  Their bright eyes are filled with questions like, do owls have predators; how do snakes lay eggs; what types of birds stay here all winter; where are the owl’s ears?  All of these visitors have helped the students make observations, ask questions, and better understand the importance of all of these creatures to our habitats.

 

Outdoor Classrooms

Through STL programming we utilize various outdoor classrooms, otherwise known as local open green spaces, such as LP&CT's conservation lands and local rivers. For more information about our outdoor classrooms and the Concord River Greenway Classroom Web Site - Click Here.



STL: Environmental Education Program Wins Award

Certificate of Excellence: April 2009, LP&CT's Stewardship Through Leadership: Backyard Adventures! environmental education program, led in partnership with Mass Audubon, was awarded honors at the State House from Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles at the "Secretary's Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education".



The "Certificate of Excellence" award was received in recognition of our dedication, commitment, and contribution to energy and environmental education, while working with Lowell youth.

Outdoor Classrooms Include-

• LP&CT-owned properties, such as West Meadow Conservation Land
• Concord River Greenway Park
• Merrimack River Watershed (includes the Concord River and local brooks)
• Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest
• Urban habitats of local community centers and school yards
• Urban forests and parks

STL Program Handbook

Please take a look at the program handbook (PDF) to find out more about our studies of Lowell's natural side and environmental history.