Conservation and Creativity at Plumb Beach
Each year Kindergarten and their 3rd grade buddies join up for a day of public service and fun at Plumb Beach. 3rd grade began yearly clean-up trips way back in 1996 and in 2012 they added erosion control to their service to the community. With a donation of plants from the NYC Parks Department, our kids plant approximately 400 plugs of dune grasses and goldenrod along the sand dunes each year, the plants' roots helping hold back erosion. After Hurricane Sandy threatened the coast in 2013, 3rd grade teacher Steve Wilson visited Plumb Beach and observed that the dune grass the kids had planted the year before had survived and were doing their job protecting our coastline. Kindergarten soon joined in the planting and this year we estimate the kids of BNS have now planted nearly 2800 plugs covering an area of roughly 3500 square feet. Every little bit helps!
This year happened to be the first year that the 3rd graders who were with BNS in Pre-K also experienced Shore School (begun in 2015). Together, the Kindergarten and 3rd Grade classes total approximately 200 children and as all 200 began to spread out along Plumb Beach it became apparent that this year would be special. While small groups of children took turns planting dune grasses, the rest worked together in an extraordinary manner exploring the beach and working with the equipment we brought along. The 3rd graders needed no prompting and soon amazing creations began appearing in the sand - the results of a remarkable collaboration between the 3rd graders and their younger buddies.
As children worked together creating and planting, still others helped clean up the shoreline. It was clear that Memorial Day had been a busy time at Plumb Beach, and the trash from multiple picnics overflowed the trash cans. The beach was a mess. In short order the 3rd graders picked up and bagged the litter, leaving the beach much cleaner than when we arrived.
It was a good time to stop and reflect upon who our children are becoming and the task that confronts all of us as stewards of Planet Earth. We may yet be in good hands.
This year happened to be the first year that the 3rd graders who were with BNS in Pre-K also experienced Shore School (begun in 2015). Together, the Kindergarten and 3rd Grade classes total approximately 200 children and as all 200 began to spread out along Plumb Beach it became apparent that this year would be special. While small groups of children took turns planting dune grasses, the rest worked together in an extraordinary manner exploring the beach and working with the equipment we brought along. The 3rd graders needed no prompting and soon amazing creations began appearing in the sand - the results of a remarkable collaboration between the 3rd graders and their younger buddies.
As children worked together creating and planting, still others helped clean up the shoreline. It was clear that Memorial Day had been a busy time at Plumb Beach, and the trash from multiple picnics overflowed the trash cans. The beach was a mess. In short order the 3rd graders picked up and bagged the litter, leaving the beach much cleaner than when we arrived.
It was a good time to stop and reflect upon who our children are becoming and the task that confronts all of us as stewards of Planet Earth. We may yet be in good hands.
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