Copy
View this email in your browser

JANUARY 2021

A Note from Jane

The New Year is here, and a new semester is just a blink away!

What a great time to set a resolution to weave environmental education and action into your teaching plans for 2021!

Green Step Graphic (picture above) by talented Dreher High School student, Sophia Austermiller 

Returning or potential SC Green Step school teams should check in with their mentors before the end of the semester about projects you are planning or already have underway for this school year.

Need mentors? Let us know.
Mentors will be happy to meet virtually with any school team to help fill in the first four columns of your Green Steps Evaluation Form. 

Prior to meeting, all Green Step teachers and mentors should watch our short virtual “Train & Update Session” for Award Year 2021.

Let’s get 2021 off to a great start!

Jane Hiller
Education Director, Sonoco Recycling

School Updates

Lexington Middle School

Lexington Middle School, under the mentorship of Richenda Batson, has joined Green Steps this year. We are so impressed with the work their “Planet Earth” students are doing. The course, created and taught by LMS teachers, Lauren Larmon and Tyler Pittman, introduces students to issues surrounding ecology, land and water use, food acquisition, and more. The hands-on project-based course encourages students to develop solutions to issues facing our planet.

Teachers and students worked together to make this video to teach others about their projects, including growing and cooking food, and building and managing greenhouses, compost bins, rain barrels and a hydroponic system.

LEARN

Students need to learn before doing. Here are some great learning opportunities:

K-2nd Garden Lessons

Life Lab is offering free sample garden lesson plans for K-2 students.


1st -6th Pollinator Lessons

Richland Soil and Water Conservation District has released a pollinator conservation educators’ guide for teachers, informal educators  and parents to use with first through sixth grade students. The lessons are free to download here, and the guide includes four activities on pollination + pollinator conservation.


9th -12th Sustainability Program

High school teachers and student group leaders may have students sign up to participate in the Take Action SC Student Ambassadors for Sustainability Program. High school students will be mentored by UofSC (K-12) outreach students while planning and executing a sustainability project at their school. Learn more here.


College Podcast Challenge          

The NPR Student Podcast Challenge is now open to college students. To participate, create a podcast about any topic you’d like – it just has to be a minimum of eight minutes long. The Student’s Podcast uploads each Sunday. Submissions close Feb. 15. Find more information here. Please share your entry here if you submit a podcast about protecting the environment.
Looking for virtual presentations?

Camp Discovery – Contact: Heather Phelps
Richland County 4H – Contact: Rosemary Martin-Jones
SC Forestry Commission – Contacts: Matt Schnabel or Beth Foley
SC Wildlife Federation – Contact: Jay Keck
Sonoco Recycling – Contact: Jane Hiller
 
Want to know more about the benefits of outdoor learning during the pandemic?
Read national briefings here.

TEACH OTHERS

Art

One way for students to teach others about their Green Step projects is through art. PBS explains the importance of art in child development.
Teachers can display student art at school or online and then consider submitting their best entries to one or more of these five art contests
  1. ArtFields Jr. Art Competition
    Apply no later than February 12.
  2. Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest connects young people to fish, fishing, and aquatic conservation through art, writing, and science. Entries are due postmarked by March 31.
  3. Lowcountry Marine Mammal (K-College) Art Competition will bridge the gap between science and art at Palmetto Brewery in Charleston on April 10. All mediums are welcome. Pictures of submissions must be submitted by Jan 15 to info@lmmn.org. Finalists must be present on April 10. 
  4. Palmetto Pride’s K-12 “Litter Trashes Everyone” Art Contest Great prizes for both students and teachers! Entries are due February 19, 2021.
  5. Richland County’s K-12 “Healthy Forests = Healthy Communities” Youth Poster Contest  Entries due April 30, 2021.

EEASC Midlands Educators Holiday Art Contest

Students aren’t the only ones who enjoy making eco-art! Environmental educators recently had fun showing handmade holiday items made from natural or upcycled materials. Our people’s choice winner, Heather Phelps (Camp Discovery), won a gift card to the Black Rooster Restaurant (one of EEASC’s Earth Day sponsors) for her natural nativity ornament (pictured below.)
Other entries included:
  • Arlene Marturano’s mini cork planters
  • Syndi Castelluccio’s oyster shell tree
  • Jennifer Mancke’s waxed pinecone fire starter
  • Peter Lauzon’s 3D paper tree
  • Chanda Cooper’s lightbulb snowman
  • Jane Hiller’s coffee bag snowflakes

Upcoming Events


NOW
Free water monitoring workshops available for small groups.
Contact Sierra Hylton with SC DHEC’s Adopt-A-Stream

DEC 26 - JAN 7
Keep the Midlands Beautiful Annual Grinding of the Greens.
Bring your live, undecorated holiday tree to one of the drops off locations.
 

JANUARY 7-8
Virtual Symposium for Smithsonian Waterways Exhibit
 

JANUARY 9
Free mulch from Grinding of the Greens recycled trees will be available to the public at Seven Oaks Park, 200 Leisure Ln.  and the Richland County Tennis Center, 7500 Parklane Rd.
(8:30 am- until the mulch runs out)
 

JANUARY 12
EEASC Midlands Virtual Meet-Up
Register here to receive the meeting link.
(8am-9am)
 

JANUARY 13
Final Day for Smithsonian Waterways Exhibit at Congaree National Park
 

JANUARY 16
Deadline to apply for GSK Science in the Summer, a free, informal science summer program for children entering grades 2-6. The program is designed to inspire students to become the next generation of scientists and engineers, through hands-on explorations based on real science careers, which may be implemented via in-person or virtual program models. Sponsored by GSK, offered in partnership with The Franklin Institute, and supported by National Girls Collaborative Project, the program seeks to serve children from traditionally underrepresented populations in STEM, including people of color, low socioeconomic status populations, rural communities and girls. 
 
 
JANUARY 18
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. Contact Laura@Keepthe MidlandsBeautiful to plan or report a litter pick-up on your school grounds or in your community.
 

FEBRUARY 1
Deadline to apply for Richland County Education Mini-grants up to $1,000 Apply at least one week earlier if you would like feedback on how to improve your application.
 

 FEBRUARY 19
Deadline to enter PalmetoPride’s annual Children’s Book Contest, which is open to South Carolina writers of all ages with an original story idea based on the theme, “Litter-Free SC.” Illustrations are not required for the book but are a welcome addition. Judging will be based on creativity, content, and theme relation. Writers may submit their stories by emailing mcoffey@palmettopride.org. Winners will be announced on March 19, 2021.
 
Facebook
Website
YouTube
Copyright © 2021 Sonoco Recycling, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp