March 2023
We are all connected
As the Early Education Coordinator I typically teach preschool to second grade students, then the “Upper Education” team takes over with the third graders. I was lucky enough to be one of the Boxerwood educators that got to go into the third grade classrooms this winter for the new Ocean Protectors program.
The goal of this program is to help kids understand we all can help ocean animals even if we live in the mountains – because (thanks to the watershed) we’re all connected.
Walking in the door I already had a connection with the students I knew from earlier years. During the presentation I first connected students to my love of sea turtles then introduced the problem of plastic pollution and how we here in Rockbridge can actually prevent problems by keeping our land litter-free.
As I refreshed their memory of my love for turtles of all kinds, the students were gushing with stories of their own. Many of these third graders have visited the beaches of North Carolina or Virginia and were familiar with sea turtles and their nesting places. Some of the students have already been to sea turtle rehabilitation centers with their families. We realized that by living in Rockbridge County and having the Maury and James River in our own backyards, we are directly connected to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
We can help not only marine animals but all the animals and habitats on the 348 river-mile journey to the ocean..
The children learned they can help aquatic life by picking up trash, recycling, and spreading the word to others to do the same. These kids left this presentation feeling empowered and excited to be a part of the ongoing community effort to keep our land and waterways clean.
I felt the same way after talking with all of them!
