Whitley County Middle School, Williamsburg Wal-Mart win PRIDE Environmental Education Award

An Earth Day celebration is still underway in Williamsburg, thanks to Whitley County Middle School and the local Wal-Mart (Store #1048).

They created a nesting area for bluebirds and added a video camera so Wal-Mart customers can learn more about the birds. Their Bluebird Habitat Project won the region’s PRIDE Environmental Education Project of the Month Award on May 20.

There are many reasons to watch the bluebirds, according to several eighth-graders in Roscoe Burnett’s science classes.

“Baby blue birds are really cool to watch,” Brittany Hutson said.

“The bird will lay the eggs, and then they will hatch,” said Michael Powers. “She will feed them, and they will fly on their own.”

“People really need to realize how important nature is and how beautiful it is and why it is important to protect it,” said Cody Parsons.

“This project shows the power of students to change our region,” said Karen Engle, who heads PRIDE. “Whitley County Middle School students are passionate about bluebirds, and they are sharing their knowledge and excitement with the entire community. I thank the school and Wal-Mart for this creative partnership.”

When Wal-Mart wanted to celebrate Earth Day in April, Assistant Manager Stephen Center remembered how much his son enjoyed the bluebird trail when he attended the middle school. Center contacted Principal Richard Prewitt and plans were made for the Bluebird Habitat Project.

Students built three nesting boxes and donated them to Wal-Mart. The boxes were installed outside the store’s lawn and garden area. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Prewitt educated Wal-Mart customers and associates about how easy it is to create a bird habitat.

Female bluebirds have built nests in two boxes. Customers can watch one of the bluebirds on a large television inside the lawn and garden area. Bluebird facts are displayed around the television screen and bird feeding and nesting items are on sale nearby.

“People stop to watch the birds on TV and ask what’s going on,” said Assistant Manager Tasha Harrell. “During associate meetings, we update everyone about the birds and associates watch them too.”

“With the help of the students, we are able to educate ourselves and our customers and help our community by adding a bird sanctuary at their local Wal-Mart,” Center said. “We plan to have a long term relationship with Whitley County Middle School and the Bluebird Habitat Project.”

“The students now want to extend the school’s bluebird trail to Wal-Mart, which is about three miles away,” Prewitt said. “Their vision is a continuous trail of bluebird boxes through the community. We’re already thinking about partnerships to make that happen. It will be very nice for the whole community.”

The middle school began building its bluebird trail 13 years ago, and about 200 students worked on it this year, Prewitt said. He estimates that 3,000 baby bluebirds have hatched in nesting boxes that were built, installed and maintained by students.

The 3.1-mile trail has about 60 nesting boxes for Eastern bluebirds. The school’s curriculum includes studies of Eastern bluebirds, which are native to this region. “I learned that bluebirds were scarce at one time but not now because of what my school has done for them,” said eighth-grade student Michael Caldwell.

“I learned that you can sometimes have very cool surprises by doing something you thought at one time in your life would be boring,” said Shatosha Privett, also an eighth-grader.

The PRIDE Environmental Education Project of the Month program rewards creative, effective ways of showing students why and how to care for the environment. PRIDE is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental cleanup and education efforts in 38 counties of southern and eastern Kentucky. The PRIDE web site is www.kypride.org.