Conservation Day educates Herkimer sixth-graders

Sixth-graders from St. Francis de Sales School in Herkimer went fishing for knowledge in May.

The class attended the annual 4-H Conservation Field Day School Enrichment Program to learn about environmental issues. They were joined by about 700 other students from 10 schools in Herkimer County.

The event was held at the Diamond Mines KOA campground in Herkimer, with 15 stations set up by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the DEC's Saratoga Springs tree nursery.

"They told us a lot about the fish," reported Emily Lyga of St. Francis School. Because the event was held right on the shore of West Canada Creek, students were able to help stock the creek with brook trout, carrying the fish in buckets.

"Sometimes, they got stuck on rocks, and so the people had to pick them up and toss them in the water," Emily admitted.

The sixth-graders were accompanied by Joanne Young, who teaches fifth- and sixth-grade math and science at St. Francis School. Ms. Young said the event helped raise awareness of issues around environmental protection for her charges.

"Every [station] was [focused on] a different topic," she said, citing soil erosion, beekeeping and recycling. The students also learned about fire prevention, forest conservation, deer management and water issues, and got to meet conservation officers.

"We got to take trees home," Emily told The Evangelist, noting that event organizers gave a sapling to each student. "I gave [mine] to my friend Matthew, who has a giant backyard, because I don't have a lot of room. They said not to throw the trees out, because that would be a waste. They had a lot of roots on them so it would be easier to plant."

Emily noted that the trees were an important part of Conservation Day for her, remembering that they talk about trees in Gospel stories. "Trees are nature and God made them special," she stated.

Ms. Young said the variety of topics covered at the event made it worthwhile for her students.

"I learned to protect the environment," said Emily, explaining that species can become extinct if they aren't protected. "We have to take care of the trees and water and fish."[[In-content Ad]]