ESC making a difference at Sehome High School
Katie Scherrer
 |
Members of the Sehome
High School Earth Service Corps.
|
This past summer, I returned from a retreat in the San Juan Islands,
put on by the Seattle YMCA Earth Service Corps and joining me there
were many fellow members of different Earth Service Corps clubs,
from all around the Puget Sound. I have started an Earth Service
Corps club here at Sehome High. We will be developing leadership
skills, learning about the environment, getting involved in our
community, and will be meeting other people from different communities
and leaders from all around the Puget Sound. Through Earth Service
Corps, you can join a large network of young environmental leaders
and make an important difference in your community. This club expands
your learning beyond the walls of a classroom into towns, cities
and neighborhoods where you live and into the air, water and earth
you live on.
The new Earth Service Corps club at Sehome High School, accomplished
their first big project on Friday, November 5th. On a Friday afternoon
after school they held the “Science Courtyard Native Planting
Party”. We had an awesome turn out of 45 students planting
a large amount of native plants in the science courtyard at Sehome
High School. In October, they had a “Can you dig it party?”
where they dug, ripped out the dead, nonnative plants, then made
a plan for the new native landscaping. Students worked with teachers
and NSEA to research what native plants would be best, which now
are growing in the science courtyard. The project accomplished both
education and environmental restoration goals for our school and
club.
The Sehome Earth Service Corps is working with the national YMCA
Earth Service Corps that is a high school leadership and environmental
service learning program, which empowers young people to be effective,
responsible, global citizens by providing opportunities for environmental
education, service learning, leadership development, and cross-cultural
awareness.
 |
The Civic Center restoration site.
|
Sehome High School had an all-time record of around 60 students
helping out local non-profits on Make A Difference Day this year.
The Sehome Earth Service Corps had a great time making a difference
with NSEA. There was a turnout of 21 students from our club who
came out to the Whatcom Creek Make a Difference Day work party.
Biology teacher Don Shepherd and the students helped plant trees,
plants and spread mulch and made “mulch donuts” around
the newly planted trees at the new Civic Center restoration site--in
the pouring rain!
So far, the Earth Service Corps have planned the following activities:
meeting every Friday afternoon after school, getting presentations
from local environmental and volunteer groups, raising money for
UNICEF, getting a bike-to-school program going at Sehome High School,
setting up an effective recycling program at Sehome, and working
on stream restoration projects with NSEA. A logo contest will result
in a logo that will be printed on 2nd hand T-shirts, which will
be sold to benefit the club. Later this summer we will be planing
many more outside activities both for exploring the outdoors and
helping our community. The Sehome Earth Service Corps feels more
than lucky to work with NSEA in some of our first successful projects.
More activities will be planned at their weekly meetings.
Alcoa Intalco has supported Sehome High School Earth Service Corps
locally this year with a $5,000 grant. NSEA Volunteer Coordinator
Nate Rice helps out with out club activities, along with Teacher
Advisors Steve Ruthford and Don Shepherd from Sehome High School
and Robert Knowles, Youth Adventure Coordinator from the Bellingham
YMCA. The Seattle Metro YMCA also provides leadership training,
retreats and support for Earth Service Corps clubs in the region.
Refreshments have been donated by local businesses, La Fiamma, Papa
Murphy’s, and Rudy’s Pizzeria for youth participating
in the service activities.
|
Home
| 