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Kids learn about Earth Day Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Sixth-grader Johnny Saeteurn checks out a newly-hatched painted lady butterfly in teacher Jennifer Platt's classroom. By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune Sporting a little Sloppy Joe on his chin left over from lunch, Jeremy Huard was eager to explain the shiny new button on his shirt that declared "Earth Day starts with me." "Earth Day means spring-type things - birds, flowers and preventing pollution," said the 8-year-old, a second-grader at Roosevelt Elementary School. "And recycling a lot and cutting up those can holders," he added, referring to the plastic containers that hold six packs, presumably sodas. The youngster was participating in the annual Earth Day celebration at the Medford school on Monday, one of several in the region recognizing the 32nd anniversary of Earth Day. The nationwide event was first held in 1970 to promote a healthy environment. The school took the opportunity of Earth Day to conduct hands-on earth science classes, from watching caterpillars become butterflies to listening to foresters explain the importance of trees to humankind, both as being good for the environment and as wood producers. "Oftentimes these people come throughout the year and give presentations," said school principal Anne Mitchell. "We decided that, instead of having it done intermittently, to have it all on Earth Day this year." To launch Earth Day, the students met in a school assembly to hear from folks from Wildlife Images in Merlin who talked about the needs of wildlife. After the assembly the classes began traveling about the school to temporary "classrooms," like the Rogue Disposal and Recycling truck parked near the playground out back. That's where they learned the importance of recycling. Nearby was a Rogue Valley Transit District bus where they learned the importance of mass transit to reduce pollution. Representatives of the U.S. Forest Service and the Oregon Department of Forestry spoke to classes about flora and fauna. Master gardener Claire Wight brought some friends along for her class in the form of wriggly worms. They were helping her demonstrate vermicomposting. "The observations from the kids have been wonderful," she said as she uncovered some dank compost filled with her friends. "When I ask the kids why I wear gloves, and they say it's because I don't want to touch the worms," she said. "That's when they find out that the oil on my hands isn't good for worms." At a table near Wight was Boise Corp. regional forester Ken Cummings talking to a group of kindergartners on the importance of trees in human life. Butterflies were on the minds of some youngsters. Each of the 23 classes at school had a half-dozen painted lady butterfly cocoons. "The student council decided to order butterflies for the whole school this year," said teacher Jennifer Platt, who also advises the student council. "Each classroom raised a jar of painted lady butterflies for Earth Day." Some butterflies graduated early; others held back. "Unfortunately, a couple didn't make it," Platt said. Her class had two butterflies emerge from their cocoons by Earth Day while the other four were about to emerge, she said. "It only takes two to three hours to emerge," she said. "Some classes have been able to watch them come out. But other caterpillars came out at night or over the weekend." Platt took her fifth- and sixth-grade classes to the basement of the school to listen to Britney Shull, a U.S. Bureau of Land Management park ranger, talk about the unique environment at the Table Rocks. The students were then asked to make signs to help protect the rocks from abuse. As she worked on her sign, sixth-grader Raylene McKeen, 12, felt it was good to take one day out of the year to think about the earth. "It's a day where everybody gets together and cleans up the earth," she said. "They try to stop the pollution and make sure there are more trees. "Trees make oxygen," she added. She said she wants to become an astronaut. "I saw this show on TV about scientists trying to figure out how to live on the moon because the earth was getting so polluted," she said. "If they get everybody on the moon, they can start fresh." Fellow sixth-grader Trevor Moore, 12, agreed that Earth Day was worth recognizing. "We all clean up the earth and make things so we don't have so much pollution," he said. "It's a good thing to do." Johnny Saeteurn, 11, a sixth-grader, was drawing a sign for the BLM, asking visitors to the Table Rocks not to litter. "We want them to care about the earth and not pollute," he explained. "Earth Day is to help the environment and keep it clean," said sixth-grader Grizelda Sandoval, 12. "And you talk about the animals and the plants." Her sign said, "Cigarette butts on the ground are best not to be found." "I'm drawing a tree, then garbage on the ground," she said, then added, "The garbage is what shouldn't be there." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.