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James Selser Memorial School, Chicopee, MA
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By engaging community partners, an energetic teacher connects her students to “New England’s Greatest River.”
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Many Chicopee students do not venture far outside of their neighborhoods, instead playing inside. Many do not know that their town sits upon “New England’s Greatest River,” the Connecticut River, or that their water comes from the Quabbin, a 412-billion-gallon reservoir that is one of the largest man-made water supplies in the United States.
It is the ongoing mission of Judy Hebert, science specialist at James Selser Memorial School, to change this situation. By reaching out to environmental organizations, and getting support from the entire Selser School community, she’s well on the way.
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Welcome to Judy Hebert’s World
Judy starts the day loading up a shopping cart with supplies for her morning classes. She literally runs through the school from classroom to classroom, perhaps starting with a third grade group, then a kindergarten class, followed by fourth graders. After a quick lunch, it all starts again: two more classes, two different grades. Five different groups, five different preps in one day.
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The River (the woods and the watershed) That Connects Us
The Connecticut River does indeed connect. It runs through four of New England’s six states, and its watershed encompasses 11,000 square miles of wild, rural, and urban lands.
So, too, Judy directs her energy toward helping students connect science in the school building with what happens in the “real world”—the schoolyard, the students’ backyards, their town, and the watershed. She keeps the learning hands-on and minds-on and brings in helpful partners who educate and role-model environmental and service careers.
Although space is limited and money is tight, the school community works as a team to provide a supportive learning environment. And Judy does much with little. PLT activities, with their simple and inexpensive props, are an invaluable resource.
Exploring the sandplain “forest” in the schoolyard
Chicopee is situated on remnants of a glacial river delta, which supports a sandplain habitat. A small patch of pine-and-oak woodland grounds the students with the natural world. At every opportunity, and in all types of weather, Judy brings them outside, encouraging questions, observations, learning—and simply being—in their woods. Judy partnered with Chicopee Department of Works and the Chicopee Job Corps for donating and spreading wood chips on the pathways. Nothing fancy, but it works.
Expanding horizons to the river, the reservoir, and the world beyond
As part of the state’s science standards, students learn watershed mapping with help from the Army Corps of Engineers. In spring 2008, thanks to monitoring kits provided by a grant from DonorsChoose.org, fourth graders tested tap water and storm drains. In fall 2008, the same students (now in fifth grade) participated in World Water Monitoring Day by assessing water quality at a state park, with assistance from the agency that manages Quabbin Reservoir. An educator from the state parks brought in hands-on models for students to experiment with topography, soils, and groundwater movement.
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Successes: Students Take the Lead
Changes large and small are emerging from Judy’s work with her students:
- Selser’s fifth graders are now attempting to persuade the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism to modify its state map for students to include the state’s rivers and the Quabbin Reservoir.
- Selser School took the lead at the city’s Science Fair, and students showcased PLT activities at its GreenFest.
- The school is part of a Green Team, and students keep track of paper recycling.
- Students are raising money for an environmental trip through sales of “green bags” they are painting with fruits and vegetables. The bags were donated by a local supermarket chain, the art teacher provides instruction, and the gym teacher keeps the students supplied with nutritional information and inspiration!
- Judy helped launch a Massachusetts State Parks Passport Program (similar to the program at National Parks) encourage more park visits by families.
Judy Hebert’s colleagues call her a whirlwind of positive energy. Whether she is wheeling her shopping cart through Selser’s hallways, getting kids out to the watershed, or improving her own knowledge of the local environment, she shows that it doesn’t take a big budget to learn outside.
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Resources
At Donorschoose.org, teachers describe projects for which they need funding. Donors can contribute to specific projects—by state, type of project, grade level, or other criteria--or to a general fund that is allocated where the need is greatest.
Learn more about the Connecticut River and the Quabbin Reservoir, either because you are near them, too, or to compare them with water resources closer to your school.
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