JACKSON — The Goddard School of Jackson shut off all non-essential lights from 10 to 11 a.m. on the morning of March 30 — but it wasn’t nap time.
In honor of Earth Hour 2009, the school joined 320 other Goddard Schools across the nation in “Stepping Up for the Environment,” an event designed to encourage environmentalism among children, which culminated in Goddard’s own classroom hour of conservation.
“We wanted to show the children how much of an impact they could make if they learn to be aware of the effect their day-today activities have on the environment,” said Kelly Bartolo, director of the Goddard School. “If we teach them early, they’re more likely to make a difference.”
To prepare for the main event, the school enforced an environment-related curriculum during the week of March 23, full of resourceful activities and lessons. Children were asked to separate plastic, paper and cardboard recyclables, and taught about the different ways they can conserve energy, such as turning off the water when they brush their teeth.
Aside from practical lessons, children also made arts and crafts out of recyclables. Teacher Laura Burger hid different makeshift toys around the classroom, and musical instruments were created with the help of teacher Lindsay Reuter, who taught the children how to make a guitar out of a shoebox and rubber bands and maracas out of beads and toilet paper rolls.
These instruments were used for the “Recycle Parade,” which kicked off the Goddard School’s Earth Hour and was attended by Jackson Mayor Michael Reina. The children marched around the school chanting “Reduce, reuse, recycle,” and presented Reina with a large banner decorated with handprints and footprints that represented their own “carbon footprint.”
“They loved absolutely every moment of the parade,” said Bartolo. “It’s rewarding to see the kids get so excited about recycling — almost all of them even brought home their instruments.”
The Goddard School of Jackson has more plans for future environmentally conscious projects. The school already saves 5,000 sheets of paper a month by corresponding with parents through email and by using recyclables in many arts and crafts projects. Administrators are aiming to adopt a more efficient and inexpensive recycling program and to hold a weekly Earth Hour.
The official Earth Hour, sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, was held on March 28 at 8:30 p.m. and attracted millions of people worldwide to join in a call for action regarding the world’s climate.