Earthy activities were widespread at
Oak Hill Elementary as the school celebrated Earth Week. Ms. Candace Smiley, third-grade reading teacher, spearheaded the week's nature-loving activities with each day centered around a different color.
On Monday, the students wore green because the Oak Hill Owls have gone green. Everyone in the school wore crazy hats on Tuesday to show that they are crazy for conservation. Blue was Wednesday's color of choice as a symbol of students' wisdom for conserving water. On Thursday, the students brought in their own water bottle as an example of usable items made from recycled material. Students finished the week off dressed in black. They showed their support of saving mother Earth by having picnic lunches on the school lawn to conserve the energy in the cafeteria.
Ms. Smiley planned for 15 trees to be planted on the school campus thanks to JEA's Forestry Department. TEAM UP's director Tommie Weatherspoon and enrichment staff member Andre Johnson volunteered to plant the 15 donated trees. Teachers helped to decorate their classroom doors with recyclable goods as part of a door decoration contest. The contest helped raise awareness about conservation and recycling. If students were caught being green throughout Earth Week, they won prizes.
During the Green Day Celebration, students were able to make posters illustrating "green habits." They played water trivia and made sun visors out of recycled materials. Several sponsors donated prizes for the contest winners including Chick-fil-A, Ananda Kula Yoga and LongHorn Steakhouse. Oak Hill hosted a few speakers to discuss the importance of environmentally sound decisions, including Kenneth Rainer from the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve and Dan Durbeck from Clean it up, Green it up. With all the activities planned by Ms. Candace Smiley, Oak Hill Elementary students truly understand the importance of going green.
To view pictures from the week's activities, visit the
DCPS' Flickr photostream.
More 'Spotlight on Education' Articles
Stay connected to the latest school news and events
