The West Hartford school is making a difference to protect wildlife.

Submitted

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF), America’s largest wildlife conservation and education organization, is pleased to recognize that Renbrook School in West Hartford has successfully created a Certified Schoolyard Habitat through its Garden for Wildlife program. Renbrook School has joined with over 5,000 schools nationwide that have transformed their schoolyards into thriving wildlife habitats that provide essential elements needed by all wildlife – natural food sources, clean water, cover, and places to raise their young. The habitat also serves as an outdoor education site where students can engage in cross-curricular learning in a hands-on way.

In April, Renbrook seventh graders and their second-grade buddies transformed an 800 square foot piece of lawn into a habitat. It is now filled with Evening Primrose, Black-Eyed Susan, Indian Blanket, Swamp Milkweed, and New England Aster, all plants that support our local wildlife. This habitat is part of the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, a national effort to restore critical habitat for pollinators.

According to Upper School teacher Katie Jackson, “The students didn’t just sow seeds: they planned and executed the whole project. Last year’s seventh graders learned about why native species are important to our ecosystem, wrote a proposal letter, selected plants and designed the area. They used geometry to stake out the area, engaged their second-grade buddies to learn more about native wildlife and help sow seeds, watered and weeded every day once the seeds sprouted, designed and built a Mason Bee house, and even learned how to use a post hole digger to install the sign!”

Jackson added, “It takes a village. Everyone contributed by using their skills in different ways. It is my hope that by understanding the full scope of work involved in creating a project, students will feel empowered to make their own positive changes to their environment in the future.”

Liz Soper, Director of K-12 Programs for National Wildlife Federation shared, “We are excited to have another school join our growing list of more than 5,000 certified Schoolyard Habitats. Kids can personally experience nature through hands-on learning in an outdoor environment.

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