Botanical Gardens Set To Begin Project Empower
In a world where some students answer the following question: “Where does milk come from?” with: “the store,” the need for teaching children about the rural reality is becoming a necessity. It may be hard to imagine here in Buffalo, but people from downstate may never see a cow in-person unless they take a field trip. With technology increasingly becoming children’s reality, even here in our own city, it is important to show them how the world really works. The Botanical Gardens hopes to do just that with Project Empower, a program aimed at showing third graders how plants around us affect our daily lives through hands on activities.
Project Empower is getting their start-up funding from a grant through HSBC Bank. The bank will present the Botanical Gardens with a check on December 2nd for $10,000, which will help underwrite bus transportation, admission, a tour, and three hands-on activities for around 1,200 Buffalo Public School System third graders. The program will show the children the different parts of plants, teach them about fruits and grains, foster an appreciation for plant life around them, and to teach them how plants affect daily life. More importantly, Project Empower hopes to plant the seed of a greater understanding of how plants affect the environment while providing a sensory experience.
Though the program will start up with a limited number of third graders, Project Empower hopes to expand to include all of the third graders in the school system. For now, third grades in the Buffalo Public School System can apply to the program, but need to do so before midnight on December 12th. A lottery will be drawn and field trips will begin in early 2009. The program is aligned with state education standards, so students who partake in the program will be better prepared through a variety of education techniques to handle the standardized tests they face later on. To apply or gather more information, call 827-1584 ext 291 and if you have the time, stop by December 2nd at 5:45 PM to watch the check being presented to the Botanical Gardens.
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eliz
That's a very god program, and it's exactly what the BG should be doing. Excellent.
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comptart_lws
excellent idea — let's hope EVERY BPS elementary applies.
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eliz
oops, good program. Not god program. I like it, but not that much!
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Buffalo21stcentury
I applaud their efforts to bring fauna and flora from around the world but each should really have two focuses. They should add to their focus flora and fauna native to the Great Lakes including extinct and endangered species.
All of South Park was once an example of Great Lakes Flora with deciduous, evergreen, flowering and fruit trees all inhabiting South Park, plus various bushes, grasses and water plants in the lake. The whole of South Park (prior to the golf course) complimented the Botanical Gardens.
The Zoo, should really consider two locations. One Zoo focusing on global animals while the other those native to the Great Lakes. The Tifft Preserve periphery would make a great 2nd location.
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onestarmartin
...A Buffalo Jewel
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