At HFCA Many Hands Make Light Work on Earth Day

HFCA 1st grade students doing their share to care for God's creation.
HFCA staff

Holy Family Catholic Academy’s nationally certified outdoor classroom makes every day a day to celebrate the great outdoors. This week, the Inverness school’s Earth Day project provided a perfect backdrop to remind the almost 500 students in preschool through grade 8 that we are all called to be stewards of God’s creation.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Monsanto Fund, HFCA students worked throughout the day to transform a retention area into a native wetland by planting 900 plants to restore a half-acre plot to its natural habitat.

By definition, the wetland was perfectly wet and muddy. Students enthusiastically waded in to plant over 20 varieties of Illinois native plants that had been researched and identified by the third grade classes. Even with tall boots, some of the students got stuck in the muck. Second grader Colin Bird used his problem solving skills to maneuver himself free. States parent, Katie Bird, “As a parent of four boys and former science teacher, I’m so happy my sons attend a school where they are encouraged to problem solve and think beyond reading a chapter in a book--even if it means getting a little dirty!”

HFCA’s wetland restoration also caught the attention of the South Barrington Garden Club who also donated funds toward the restoration.

The project incorporated many aspects that make HFCA such a unique school. The outdoor classroom gives all students access to a living, hands-on laboratory, and the project was also aligned with the school’s candidacy* as an International Baccalaureate World School.

Principal O’Brien summed up the Earth Day project by paraphrasing the words of Pope Francis, “On Earth Day and every day, our students, faculty and staff recognize the call to learn, raise awareness, and become responsible stewards of God’s creation.”

*Candidacy does not guarantee authorization.

For more information, https://holyfamilycatholicacademy.net/

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