Toshiba grant is for the birds

Lauren Vane

First-graders at Hope View Elementary School celebrated Earth Day by

sharing a special piece of earth with family, friends and classmates.

Teacher Nancy Schager and her students invited everyone to experience

the wetlands that the class created on a small plot of land inside a

school atrium.

With the help of a Toshiba America Foundation grant received

earlier this year, the first-graders used water, natural plants and

life-size papier mache replicas of native birds to bring a piece of

the wetlands right into their school.

“We decided to use it [the atrium] as sort of a lab,” Schager

said.

The students became wetlands docents as they proudly showed off

their natural masterpieces and led their guests on narrative tours of

the wetlands. Members from the Ocean View School District Board of

Trustees took part in the activities, along with two representatives

from Toshiba.

“It’s just a great experience for them [the students] and

something that they’ll remember forever,” board trustee Barbara

Boskovich said.

The Toshiba America Foundation provides grants to schools for

educational programs.

“I think it’s great,” said Jeanie Kensler, an office supervisor

with Toshiba America Business Solutions. “I was so excited when Nancy

called me and invited us over.”

Without the grant, the class would not have been able to afford

some of the extras that make the project memorable, Schager said.

Each student picked his or her favorite bird and wrote a report and

story on it. Money from the Toshiba grant provided each student with

a hardcover for their book.

“For first-graders to do this, this is really amazing,” said

Hitomi Nishinaka, vice president of administration and human

resources with Toshiba.

When they started the project, the students studied all types of

environments and different habitats before focusing on the wetlands.

The class picked five birds to research -- the pelican, blue heron,

seagull, egret and American coot -- and spent time at the library

researching the birds.

“We got to study about the birds, and learning about the birds is

really fun,” said 7-year-old Haley Blizzard.

Not only did the students say they had fun, they also learned a

little something.

“We should pick up the trash in the wetlands so the birds can stay

alive,” said Olivia Kocsis, 7.