The Education Committee is working with the Capital Land Trust to develop hands-on outdoor learning experiences for the 3rd-graders that they will host in April at their Inspiring Kids Preserve, which is located off of Johnson Point Road, north of Lacey. They are hoping to have 6 day-long sessions in mid- to late- April, and BHAS has been asked to contribute a “bird station” there. We on the Education Committee will plan the bird-related activities, but we anticipate needing help to actually staff the station.
Capital Land Trust anticipates that 4 groups of students, 12-15 in each group, will move through the stations various stations each day. We therefore need to have a minimum of 12 volunteers, 6 for the morning shifts and 6 for the afternoon shifts; of course, a person is free to sign on to do more than one shift (e.g. staying all day or coming on two different mornings). Volunteers would also need to sign up for a training session to familiarize themselves with the activities and with the Preserve, and so we are asking for a minimum commitment of about 6 hours of your time.
Because we are living in the age of COVID-19, any commitment you make now would be tentative. We understand that you might be reluctant to agree to spend time with children, even outdoors, without knowing how serious any health risk would be in April. We have informed Capital Land Trust that we as an organization might decline to participate if we feel that doing so would put our members at too high a risk, and you certainly might make that individual decision for yourself as April draws nearer. Still, we are very enthusiastic about this project and the opportunity it affords to introduce children to birds, and so we are proceeding to develop the activities and to line up volunteers.
If you are interested in volunteering, or if you would like more information, please contact Kim Adelson at education@nullblackhills-audubon.org.
Inspiring Kids Preserve, Henderson Inlet. Photo by Justin Roberts
