Randy Garrison

Hartselle Enquirer

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22 of each year and originally began to show support for environmental protection. The movement  began in 1970 to motivate people to show concern for the environment, which was basically a non-issue in those days. Most did not seem to mind or even know what everyday living was doing to the planet that was home to all.

Crestline Elementary celebrated Earth Day a couple of days early this year. Since school is out for a weather day that was not taken on Fri., April 22, and first grade had a field trip on Thurs., April 21, April 20 seem was chosen. The weather also cooperated, with temperatures climbing into the 80’s with a spring breeze blowing and the sun shining brightly through a slightly overcast sky.

Different stations were set up in the outdoor classroom area for the children to participate in. Pre-K all the way to fourth grade students were able to take turns at each station and learning about how nature works and helping to care for the earth.

First grade teacher Barb Helton helped to organize the event and has been very involved with the outdoor space.

Each student took his or her turn at a rock painting station. After they had painted an individual rock they placed the rocks in a special memory garden in the outdoor classroom. After they have left Crestline, the rocks will be a reminder that they once attended school there.

Members of the Rainbow Garden Club were in attendance and volunteered helping the students learn to plant.

The students also watched “Lorax,” a Dr. Seuss movie about taking care of the earth.

Allyson Shabel, with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service was on hand to talk to the students about honeybees. She shared with the students about the life of honeybees and how honey is gathered.

There was also a scavenger hunt station where students were challenged to find particular items in nature. They also learned about picking up trash and keeping liter from the ground, and what kids can do to save the earth.

Owen Wimberley, a pre-K student in Denise Smyth’s classroom completed the scavenger hunt first in his class. He was able to find everything on the assigned list. He was also the first to start picking up trash on the playground and soon all of the other member,s of his class followed suit.

The outdoor classroom space has been a great edition for Crestline students. According to Helton, the school has received great community support in getting the project going. The high school donated a cistern that is used to catch rainwater, which is used to irrigate the plants that are being grown in the outdoor space. Alyson Blackman and Brad Bole reassembled and installed the system at the school.

The new fishpond is a great addition to the outdoor area. Hannah’s Lawn and Landscape donated the materials and installed the fishpond for Crestline. Clif Knight donated fish for the pond, which seem to be doing well in their new home.

Many hours of work by parents and other volunteers have gone into transforming an empty space between the two main wings of the building into a living space where students can have hands-on learning.

As a treat, the students were treated to a cup of worms and dirt, aka-crushed Oreos with gummy worms inside.