Introduction
Schnecksville Elementary School’s Earth Day celebration on April 21, 2023, showcased the commitment of its students, staff, and community to promote sustainability through innovative learning experiences. Spearheaded by Tina Jarrett, a core team member here at iHave iNeed, this year’s event focused on engaging students in hands-on activities to understand the importance of reducing, recycling, and reusing resources. Read on to discover the highlights of the event and the remarkable impact it has had on the local community.
A Decade of Earth Day Celebrations
For over a decade, Tina Jarrett has been actively involved in organizing the school-wide Earth Day celebrations at Schnecksville Elementary School. This year she, along with PHS biology teacher Laura Kowalski who is also a member of the iHave iNeed core team, ensured that the event was filled with interactive, engaging lessons and activities, emphasizing the importance of sustainability for every student.
The Book Drive Initiative
In an effort to reinforce the message of sustainability, Tina organized a “new or gently used book drive.” Families were encouraged to pass on books from their homes rather than purchasing new ones. Under her supervision, the Fifth Grade Environmental Club collected, counted, and organized 3,581 books donated by the school’s students and staff. These books were then presented to iHave iNeed during the Earth Day Celebration Assemblies.
Sustainability Escape Rooms
Parkland High School’s Class Officers, together with their advisor Sarah Yenser, facilitated a series of Sustainability Escape Rooms for Schnecksville Elementary School students in grades K through 5 (excluding 2nd grade). These escape rooms utilized Break out Boxes, challenging the children to apply their STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, and Medicine) skills to solve sustainability problems to unlock the secret codes. The activities focused on finding new ways to reduce, recycle, and reuse items. In total, 475 children participated in the escape room adventures, and every class successfully “escaped”!
Books to the Rescue Program
Following the Earth Day celebration, iHave iNeed delivered 1,400 of the donated books to the Allentown Rescue Mission’s “Books to the Rescue” Program. The remaining books will be distributed to the Cops-n-Kids Reading Room in Bethlehem, PA in the coming weeks.
Conclusion
Schnecksville Elementary School’s Earth Day Celebration highlighted the power of creative, hands-on learning in fostering an understanding of sustainability among students. Through the efforts of Tina Jarrett, the Fifth Grade Environmental Club, Parkland High School’s Class Officers, and the broader community, the event had a meaningful impact on the lives of hundreds of children, both in Schnecksville and beyond.