March 19, 2012

NW places 2nd in NYS! . . . . A Green Chain Reaction . . . Start small, help it grow at Northwood Elementary; Year two features "We Choose to Reuse Fashion Show" and "New Start Art Show"

Northwood Elementary School students in teachers Brenda Mashiotta and Jen Sica's classes have launched the second year of 'greening'  as part of the Disney Planet Challenge and the school's own initiative, "Creating A Green Chain Reaction." 

This month their project placed second out of all the New York entries! It was a VERY tight state," Mrs. Mashiotta said. "We were told that the class that won the state prize was only 1.67 points ahead of Northwood. It took  four rounds of judging to get there and that Northwood did an amazing project!"

Mrs. Mashiotta and Mrs. Sica's classes have taken up the challenge of conservation in a big way by participating in the Disney Planet Challenge along with thousands of other schools across the country. The Challenge is a project-based environmental competition designed to teach kids about science and conservation while empowering them to make a positive impact on their communities and planet. For more see http://disney.go.com/planetchallenge/   Among the projects students have embraced are: recycling, reducing waste and reusing items.

 "We Choose to Reuse Fashion Show"  is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2011 - 1:15 pm-2:45 pm in the Little Theater at Northwood Elementary School, 433 No. Greece Rd.  Students will be wearing outfits which have either been purchased from second-hand stores or handed-down from family members or friends. GOAL: to help teach others the importance of reusing and to give to a good cause that will held those in need in the community.  Every item donated to the Goodwill VOA/Salvation Army "is one less item that goes to the landfill. Last year alone, donations to Goodwill of the Finger Lakes kept over six million pounds of clothing out landfills," Mrs. Mashiotta said. "Because of people who donate and buy items from the Goodwill, they are able to partner with over 20 local, non-profit agencies through their Good Neighbor program.  They assist those who are most in need, providing winter coats for inner city school children, clothing and household items for displaced refugees, relief for victims of domestic violence and emergency clothing for families devastated by fires or other disasters."

The "New Start Art Show" features any recycled or used materials such as cans, plastic bottles, cardboard, etc. used to create something new with it.  The show is set for Nov. 15, 2011 which is America Recycles Day, http://americarecyclesday.org/ to be held in the C-cafe - 1:15 pm-2:45 pm.  

Energy Workshop October 2010   Students learned about energy saving tips they can do at home and participated in a hands-on activity about the importance of using nonrenewable resources sparingly and how important using renewable resources will be one day.  The parents keep saying how much their kids make them recycle at home, how much they enforce saving energy at home, and how they even ask to talk to the managers at places they don't have recycle bins to ask them to get them in their place!"  As students research and explore conservation and work to implement solutions throughout the school, they are charged with communicating their activities to other students and staff members. Brochures and personal interactions spur others to take up new behaviors.  Last year students heard a presentation on how to understand and measure energy.  “Energy is how power is doing useful work,” said Thomas Yeh, electrical engineer and consultant on energy conservation. Students learned about photons, BTUs, watts, therms and CFLs [compact fluorescent light] in an effort to describe how energy can be conserved and the value of measuring it scientifically.   Students in teachers Brenda Mashiotta's and Jennifer Sica's classroom listening to Mr. Yeh formulated questions and probed his knowledge as an electrical engineer and spokesperson for Green Monroe www.greenmonroe.org  which works to lower energy costs in Monroe County and work cooperatively to buy renewable energy.  For further information: teacher Brenda Mashiotta - 585-392-1000 ext. 4308.