Special reports
TEMPLE HILL — Dear Editor,
On Sept. 25, 2009, Temple Hill Elementary celebrated “No Child Left Inside Day,” along with the construction of a wetland area in our outdoor classroom. We would first like to thank those who are helping to fund this project through grants: Barren County Alumni Association, GreenWorks Grant through Project Learning Tree, and the WKU Center for Environmental Education and Sustainability. We would also like to thank Mr. Tom Biebighauser for his passion and expertise in providing months of consultation in the planning and construction of our school wetland area.
We would like to thank the following businesses and individuals who helped to make this day a huge success: Glasgow Water Company for being a school partner in furnishing the manpower and equipment to construct our wetland area and rain gardens; Mammoth Cave National Park for being our school partner in providing rangers Jessica Collins, Josh Johnson and Jennifer Shackleford to teach the environmental education concepts of recycling, camouflage and adaptations; Coca-Cola for the sign and cokes for our volunteers; Paul’s Lawn and Turf for the canopy tents; Charles Jolly Trucking for the topsoil; Jennifer and Mark from Eastern Kentucky Pride for their assistance; Bluegrass Pride in Lexington for the use of their teaching kits; and the Salato Wildlife Center in Frankfort for the native plants.
We would also like to thank the following individuals for providing activities for our students on that day to teach them various aspects of environmental education: Paula Tarry, 4-H Extension Agent, and her team of 4-H’ers, along with Cynthia Rowland; Edie and Bob Bell for the supplies and instruction on creating earthworm habitats; Robin Hume from the WKU Center for Environmental Education and Kendall Crosslin, a graduate student at MTSU and employee of the Nashville Zoo, for teaching students about camouflage and water flow through the environment using the Enviroscape; Girl Scouts Kaye Jones and Brandy McKee for teaching students to use a compass; Paul Stein and Troop 1590 for the use of their tables and tent; Mrs. Ruby Edwards for teaching students to prepare and use soil as a paint medium which created some beautiful pictures; Mrs. Diane Hammons for teaching the students about various animal tracks; Mrs. Belinda Dillon and Mrs. Hannah Kingrey for assisting all students in making a pine cone bird feeder; to the students who brought in pine cones and recycled bottles, the sixth grade classes for helping assist the preschool and kindergarten classes in making “I Spy” bottles and teaching them about water and density; to several sixth grades students who helped plant native plants around the wetland area; Phillip Napier for the video he produced; Judge Davie Greer for visiting with us that day; and last but not least, the wonderful staff at Temple Hill for being open-minded to such an “outside” learning experience for the students, to the cooks and custodians who served a wonderful barbecue sack lunch and for the extra cleaning in keeping our school clean; and for Mr. Hall for his support in this project.
We have many more small projects to complete in the near future around our wetland area, making this a unique outdoor classroom for science inquiry and investigation. Again, thanks to each of you who helped to make this project and day such a great success.
Debbie Sherfey,
Wetland Project Coordinator
Temple Hill Elementary School
Cleanup fundraiser is benefit to youth programs
We are writing to thank the Barren County Judge Executive and the Barren County Fiscal Court for offering the roadside cleanup fundraiser program for youth organizations. With the money we earned, we will be able to purchase uniforms and pay other expenses.
We were very surprised at the quantity and type of trash we found along side our roads. Besides the usual fast food litter, there were lots of bottles and cans, especially beer bottles and cans. Believe us when we say that “drinking and driving” seems to be a favorite past time here in Barren County.
We encourage everybody to think twice before they throw anything out along our roads. Please take your trash home and dispose of it properly. Also if you are planning an evening of drinking, please take your drink home and stay there. Please help us keep Barren County the beautiful place it is by keeping it clean and safe.
Laura Irwin
Caveland Christian
Home School Cheerleaders
