by ·Comments Off on Beecher Students and Staff Celebrate Global Youth Service Day

By Maria Salinas

global-youth01Given the opportunity to give back to their community, 109 of Beecher Middle High School students participated in Global Youth Service Day. The students enjoyed a day outside of their classrooms and getting their hands dirty. These students also worked alongside their peers, teachers, community members, College Positive Volunteers, college students, and UM-Flint staff. Students completed several projects such as planting sunflower seeds, fruit trees, berry bushes, spreading mulch and gravel, and picking up trash around the school.

The Outdoor Learning Classroom is a learning space that the students imagined a few years ago. They wanted a space where they could take their learning outside the classroom and try different things they learn, such as soil testing. Not only is it a place for them to have hands on experiences, but it is also an opportunity for them to participate in civic engagement by helping to maintain the garden that is also a part of the Outdoor Classroom.

by ·Comments Off on Flint students lead National Arbor Day tree planting

The cold and rain did not stop students from Southwestern Classical Academy and Potter Elementary Schools who worked tirelessly in their effort towards building community pride and contributing to local park improvements at Flint’s Longway Park.arbor-day-201506

On April 30, 2015, students diligently worked with community partners and volunteers to plant 650 white pine seedlings, 100 shrubs/hardwoods and spread an acre of mulch in the park as part of a National Arbor Day celebration.  Their dedication and commitment in support of the City of Flint’s Tree City USA designation through the Arbor Day Foundation was key to a successful event.

The project also implements goals from the City of Flint’s Imagine Flint Master Plan for parks, open space and green infrastructure.  “Given the specific components and short timeline of the initiative, enlisting partners committed to working together was tremendously important to the project’s success” said Angela Warren, Administrator of Genesee Conservation District.

Longway Park is a 36.6-acre park with several ball fields, playground equipment, and approximately 4 acres of wooded area that will be expanded by this project.

This project was made possible through the generous contributions of Great Lakes Tree Experts of Burton, Bell Site Development, Inc. of Waterford who donated mulch for the project.  The Genesee Conservation District was instrumental in initiating the project by convening partners and providing education and hands-on expertise for the seedling planting and working with the students. This effort is part of the statewide On Track to a Greener Michigan initiative sponsored by Consumers Energy and Michigan International Speedway.

Jef Johnson, Senior Conservation Coordinator for Genesee Conservation District expressed his satisfaction and appreciation for the efforts of the students who participated.  “I’m proud of the students involved, they all worked hard and were determined to get the job done correctly.”  He also expressed appreciation for all the collaborative partners who made the event possible and is looking forward to future projects which will utilize green space within the community.

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This event supports the Master Plan as a demonstration of a naturalization project.  Collaboration efforts included individuals from the City of Flint, teachers from Flint Community School District, SWA students, Potter Elementary students, Keep Genesee County Beautiful, Potter Longway Neighborhood Association, Eastwood United Methodist Church, the University of Michigan-Flint, Consumer’s Energy, Michigan International Speedway, Michigan Association of Conservation District and Genesee Conservation District.

“The collaborative nature of this project is a prime example of working together and pooling resources to accomplish objectives in our community,” said Angela Warren, Administrator of Genesee Conservation District.

Kim Hatfield, who teams with fellow teachers Linda Heck and Lynn Louchart-Kiefer to coordinate these efforts, said, “The kids get excited about these place-based projects.  Applying what they are learning in the classroom to real world projects makes learning more relevant for them.”

The school is supported in these efforts by UM-Flint’s Discovering Place place-based education program with funding provided by the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, Great Lakes Fisheries Trust, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

 

by ·Comments Off on Beecher Students Tour Colleges

By Maria Salinas

college-toursSitting in school doing various academic enrichment activities during intercession, is often times repetitive! During April’s intercession, the students at Beecher Middle High School received a change of scenery! The students had the opportunity to visit a different college during their April Intercession. The Neff Center was able to accompany 21st Century, an afterschool program through Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD) and other staff to Wayne State and Michigan State University. The students were able to receive overviews of the schools followed by a tour of the campus. The students were able to ask questions varying from subjects on classes to student life.

Arriving to Michigan State University campus was nothing new to the students at Beecher Middle High School. Many had visited the campus Breslin Center in support of their high school boys’ basketball team, which have won three championship games within the last four years. The students admired the size of campus and were only able to tour a portion of it due to the weather and time restrictions. Overall the students enjoyed the change of place and having the opportunity to gain academic enrichment in a different setting.