Hollifield Station is Keeping on Track with Green Awareness
Fostering partnerships and helping others is planting seeds of hope!
Planning the outdoor classroom and bird garden involved many partnerships. Mr. Bell and his students at Homewood High School in Columbia, Maryland designed and built four picnic tables for our outdoor classroom. The students were recognized at our Earth Day celebration last April. It was truly amazing to see those students beaming with pride as they presented the picnic tables to our school. Not only did Hollifield benefit from this partnership, the Homewood students created something that was truly purposeful and authentic. Our P.T.A. is amazing! They helped fund the picnic table project and were instrumental in the planning and creation of our outdoor classroom. Lowe’s employees were also actively involved since we were awarded the Lowes Toolbox for Education Grant. Mr. Shilling, Smithsonian Castle Horticulturalist, helped with the design of the tree easel with a white board and provided guidance with native plantings. Many former students worked along with our students to weed, mulch, and plant native plants in our gardens. Our art department worked with a local artist to create birdhouses out of recycled materials. Establishing a healthy relationship within our community has really made a difference in our students’ connection with nature.
Daniels Day and The 50 Plus Expo
Daniels Day In the Patapsco River Valley, just a few miles down stream from our school, lie the remains of what was once a thriving town. It is mostly gone now, but Daniels played a large part in the history of this area. It still lives in the memories of those who were part of its history and a few remaining buildings, such as the church on Standfast Hill. Situated in both Baltimore and Howard Counties and known over the years by various names – Elysville, Alberton, and Daniels – this mill town dates back to 1833. On November 3, 2012, participants learned about the history of this relic in partnership with the Patapsco Heritage Greenway and the Hollifield Station Earth Force Team. Hikes led by Boy Scout Troop 1997 (former HSES students) and a stream survey conducted by the HSES Earth Force Team members kept the children entertained as they learned about the environment and preservation issues.
50 Plus Expo
A partnership was formed with the Howard County Office of Aging and the HSES Earth Force team. Earth Force members have volunteered at the 50 Plus Expo in Columbia, Maryland to teach adults about recycling. Community Service is a large part of being a member of the Earth Force Team. Students develop a sense of identity while learning the values and skills of responsible citizenship.
HSES Students, Teachers, and Local Scout Troops help Maintain the Outdoor Classroom and Gardens