Clark County Green News

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La Center Earth Day Extravaganza

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On a beautiful April day, La Center High School in north Clark County hosted its Earth Day Extravaganza during the student lunch hours. The event was arranged by Rebecca Morris, her Green Team and environmental studies students. On display were a multitude of projects and programs that the school is currently working on in regard to environmental sustainability, land development, academic programs and community partnerships. La Center High School is one of the only platinum-accredited Washington Green Schools in the state and has done so much to build environmentally-focused academic and community programming. Take a look at what students had on display at their Earth Day Extravaganza!

Biodiesel 

Jim Neiman, a Career and Technical Education teacher, works with students to study potential ways to utilize food-waste oil generated by everyday cooking to create new fuel sources. During the demonstration, students prepared food by deep-frying a variety of food like cookies, hotdogs, and different veggies in vegetable oil. The oil used in the fryers was collected for later processing into biodiesel using a refining system. Re-purposing used cooking oil is just one way creating biodiesel reduces landfill waste. Another diversion methods is through a by-product of biodiesel refining- glycerin. Students use this to make soap that were given out as samples during the event

Biochar


The shop team and students from the environmental studies class played a role in generating biochar, a kind of charcoal made from burning yard debris and other organics in a low-oxygen environment. This reduces the amount of combustion particulates, and traps carbon within the charcoal. This resultant product can be used as a soil amendment, improving the ability for the soil to retain water, nutrients, and other essential chemicals that keep soil healthy. A simple wood stove was modified to reduce the oxygen content in the stove, and the resulting heat was used to cook pancakes!


A Garden and so much more...

The La Center Garden has been in development for several years, and has been making slow and steady progress. They have prepared several development plans, models and blueprints and presented them to the School Board, gaining approval to set the plans in motion. A team comprised of members of the 2015/2016 LCHS Green Team also presented the plans at the 2016 Imagine Tomorrow Competition (an environmental sustainability competition for high schools in WA, OR, ID and MT held at WSU-Pullman). While there, the team's ideas were met with praise and won the Community Impact Award.

Pollinator Station

Having a space in the garden for pollinating insects is vital to a community garden. Having a dedicated space will allow for expanded education opportunities on the nature of pollinators and the importance they play in agricultural success.


Terraced Gardening

Because the proposed garden site is on a hill between the track/field and one of the student parking lots, they decided to utilize terraced garden beds. This maximizes the space available, reduces water waste due to runoff, and allows for a more economic use of space. The first round of garden plot use will be for classes at La Center High School and K-8 classes then curricular and extra -curricular clubs, next organizations that feed local folks, such as Loaves and Fishes and the North County Food Bank. After the initial construction and preparations LCHS wants to invite the community to rent out plots for their own use and to build enriching community partnerships.



Composting Demo site

As part of the garden site, LCHS Green Team wanted to have a space to teach the school and greater community about the many varieties and benefits of composting. A covered seating area will allow for classes to be held year-round to teach communities about composting, gardening, and other skills revolving around composting and gardening. Several composting methods are planned to be installed in the site, such as: worm boxes, 3-pile, wire bin, turnstile and others.

Until the La Center Garden begins producing fresh vegetables, herbs and berries, the Environmental Studies Class Garden will continue to grow produce for students and staff to eat, be served in school lunches and donated to the North County Food Bank. The ESC Garden, in its 9th year of operation, is comprised of four zones: edible, ornamental, native and a rain garden. The latter of which includes a rain barrel station that collects rainfall from a two-classrooms portable. Students at the Earth Day Extravaganza offered a matching game for event participants to identify plants and seeds of common fruits and vegetables.




Recycling and Waste Reduction


LCHS students had a display inciting discussion about best recycling practices, using various outreach material provided by Waste Connections and other research. LCHS has a strong recycling and composting program, and hopes to expand their program in the years to come.





Salmon incubator project and 5th grade mentor program

LCHS students have worked with Columbia Springs on its "Salmon in the Classroom" project, hosting a breed of salmon eggs to release into local watersheds. Going further, LCHS decided to bring the salmon incubation directly to the source and have a small incubator and water pump system next to one of the many streams in the local watershed. By doing this, Salmon that are bred to be released into the wild can quickly acclimate to the waters that they will spend most of their life in.

As part of the salmon incubation project, students from LCHS serve as mentors to 5th grade students that help in stream monitoring, teaching the fundamentals of scientific inquiry and critical thinking though field and classroom experiences. The cross-age Water Monitoring Partnership prepares LCHS students to serve as watershed stewards and life-long learners.

The 3rd Annual La Center High School Earth Day Extravaganza was planned, organized and carried out by members of La Center High School's Green Team, now known as the Environmental Action Team. All members of La Center High School are invited to join-in and E.A.T. @ LCHS.

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