By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Rain, wind and cold could not stop them.
Grade five students from across Berrien County gathered Wednesday and Thursday for the 13th annual Natural Resource Day at the Berrien County Youth Fair Grounds.
The event is an annual effort to teach young people to appreciate the delicate environment around them.
Students from St. Mary's Elementary, Niles Adventist School and Howard Elementary School of Niles joined 20 other area schools' students attending the event.
More than 800 students along with their teachers and parent chaperones participated in sessions designed to improve environmental awareness, according to Natural Resource Day Coordinator and Berrien County Environmental Specialist Jill Adams.
"It was a lot of fun. The students loved looking at the massasauga rattle snake, tree frogs, salamanders and tadpoles. They especially like it when they got to touch them,"said Howard Elementary School fifth grade teacher, Pat Austin.
The reptiles were part of a session entitled "Wonders of Wildlife." Other sessions included "Cool Facts About Plants," "Soil Is More Than Dirt," "Every Drop Counts" and "Turning Trash Into Treasures."
Nichole Mollison's class from St. Mary's Elementary School cupped their hands to hold the sunflower seeds, representing how much waste is created today, compared to the pinch of seeds representing the amount of waste in the time of the caveman. During the "Turning Trash Into Treasures" presentation the students learned about the all things made from recycled goods like plastic rulers, fleece, bubble wrap, paper and even t-shirts.
Every student who attended went home with educational packets containing items such as an environmental comic, pencils made from recycled newspaper, Earth Day bracelets, stickers and other educational material.
They also received a white pine seedling and a flowering plant they could use at school or at home.
"We could not have attended if it were not for the Berrien County Farm Bureau. They picked up the $250 cost for the bus, driver and gas so that our students could go," Austin said.
The company offered the transportation grant to schools wishing to attend the event. More schools were able to take advantage of the day because of their generosity, Adams said.
The purpose of the program is to help students understand the importance and necessity of conserving our natural resources and the basic conservation principles that can be practiced at home and in the community.