North Adams Kids Explore Green Side of Science
 Mayor Richard Alcombright is shown how the school's compost bin works by the children and Jennifer Munoz of Reach Community Foundation. |
The North Adams schools' Summer Science Camp — "Green Adventures" — is focusing on the environment for learning, activities and service-learning projects to teach children how they can make the world a better place.
Noella Carlow, coordinator of the after-school programs for the North Adams School System, said the green theme was selected this year at the suggestion of teachers. "We felt it would give us some nice transport across all the grade levels."
Each two-week camp at Brayton Elementary School includes children from prekindergarten through the "rising" seventh grade; a related high school program focuses on community service-learning projects funded by a "Green in the Middle" federal grant. The camp includes field trips, such as last week's to the top of Mount Greylock, and speakers on green topics.
On Monday, state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing talked to some 40 children in Grades 4 through 6 about green energy and jobs. Downing, a strong proponent of alternative energy resources and green jobs, fielded questions ranging from recycling to what he's doing about the Gulf oil spill.
 The school's lobby will continue to be filled with examples, books and projects about the environment during the camps. |
But a disaster of that scale would have a damaging effect on two of the state's most important industries: fishing and tourism. The same day the oil spill occurred, the Cape Wind Project of 100 turbines off the coast of Cape Cod was given the green light. The wind farm has generated a lot of controversy, said Downing, but better "windmills instead of oil spills."
The senator spent more than an hour with the children discussing ways to conserve (unplug unused appliances because they continue to draw energy and buy food locally) and future possibilities such as solar-powered cars. He assured one boy that the president is concerned about alternative energy, too, and "if I felt he wasn't working on it, I'd give him a call."
Outside, a group of younger children had finished weeding and watering the Brayton garden. Third-grade teacher Robyn Lawson said the Grade 3 classes started the garden and it seemed suitable for the Science Camp to take over its care and harvesting.
The garden is a service-learning project that aids the Berkshire Food Project; it inspired the agency to start its own garden outside the kitchen door at First Congregational Church that the children also help with.
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Kyle Brooks, 10, said he liked the camp because it was an opportunity to be outdoors. He already knows about recycling but, like many of the children, continued to express concern over the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. "I think they're doing a lot now to prevent the oil spill."
Downing urged the group of kids to pay attention to their parents and teachers but not to stop questioning their decisions. The same goes for elected officials, who should thinking further ahead, he said.
"Are you making decisions with future elections in mind or future generations in mind — I think it should be the latter."
