Earth Day 2009 Walk-a-Thons

East Fallowfield Students Think Globally in 2009

The children at East Fallowfield Elementary school (grades K through 5) participated in a walk-a-thon on April 20, 2009 to raise money to support a school in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest.  This wonderful opportunity occurred through the ACEER (Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research) Foundation headquartered at West Chester University.  This is the fifth year East Fallowfield students have been able to sponsor a school.

We had a beautiful walk despite the overcast day.  Thank you to the many parents who helped and came out to walk with us.  A special thank you goes out to the students and families that supported this worthy cause.  In all, the students of East Fallowfield collected $383 with the top amounts collected by Ben Brown in Mrs. Sirna’s room and PJ Ficca in Mrs. Mc Ball’s room. This year’s funds will guarantee our ability to continue to sponsor our sister school in the tiny area of Rolin.  The children at this school will be able to participate in a program called “From the School to the Garden” allowing the children to visit the ACEER site in the rain forest where medicinal plant gardens are located.  The work the children do with the ACEER staff will bring an understanding of the extreme value the rainforest has to the world at large.

Our East Fallowfield children were very excited and motivated by this event.  Throughout the school standards based academic activities took place. The students researched animals, learned about climates and wrote original animal stories.  Silent reading took place on a regular basis under our very own inside Kapok tree where monkeys, snakes, and toucans hang. The walk-a-thon is one small way East Fallowfield students can help build bridges into the future.   

For more information or to sponsor a school of your own contact the ACEER Foundation at www.aceeramigos.org.

Write up provided by East Fallowfield teacher, Deb Pieri.

Beaver Creek Elementary Students Walk for the Rainforest

For the past three years, Beaver Creek Elementary School in Downingtown Area School District has had an Earth Day Walkathon to raise funds for the ACEER AMIGOS Program. We have continued to support 4 schools in the Amazon Rainforest. In the past, students have learned more about the rainforests via assembly programs and visiting the website. This past fall, we enjoyed a visit from Licia and Therany, Peruvian staff from the ACEER Foundation. The Earth Day Walkathon typically raises between $1000 and $1200. Our 450 students, teachers and some parents enjoy walking the perimeter of the school to raise funds for partner schools in Peru.

Write up provided by Beaver Creek Elementary principal, Dawn Lawless.

Holly Heights Elementary School Raises over $2,800 for the Amigos Program

Several years ago, teacher, Sherry Stiles, went on an ACEER workshop to the Amazon. Sherry's experiences in the Amazon were transformative.  She returned determined to do something to help the teachers and students in the small rural schools she visited along the Amazon river.  Each year since then, Sherry has organized an Earth Day Walkathon for the entire school at Holly Heights Elementary School in New Jersey.  This school has raised well over $10,000 for the Amigos Program, and has helped to create a reserve in the Itaya River watershed, near Iquitos.  Congratulations and many thanks to Holly Heights School!