Galena Elementary School students get a close look at a blue catfish they hauled onboard the schooner Sultana during a field trip earlier this fall. The Sultana Education Foundation partners with Kent County Public Schools to provide hands-on environmental education experiences.
CHESTERTOWN — Kent County is recognized for its outdoor spaces: the open farmland, nature preserves like the park at Turner’s Creek and the scenic, thriving waterways leading to the Chesapeake Bay.
Kent County Public Schools is taking full advantage of the area’s natural habitats by partnering with local organizations to provide a comprehensive environmental education program.
From the start of the academic year, students have participated in immersive environmental education experiences with sailing and canoe trips and overnight camping.
“Kent County Public Schools' environmental literacy initiative provides students with hands-on outdoor learning experiences that foster a deeper connection to the greater community and promote environmental stewardship,” said Amelia Markosian, the school system’s coordinator of accountability and instruction.
It is through partnerships with the Sultana Education Foundation, Echo Hill Outdoor School, ShoreRivers and other environmental groups that students have the opportunity to enjoy such memorable learning experiences.
This start-of-the-year snapshot of Kent County Public Schools’ environmental education program begins aboard Chestertown’s famed schooner Sultana.
Just two weeks into the school year, fourth-graders from Galena Elementary School climbed aboard the replica 1700s vessel at the Chestertown Marina on Sept. 17.
Kent County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mary Boswell-McComas joined for her first Sultana sail since taking the helm of the school system in July.
Markosian and Director of Teaching and Learning Gina Jachomwicz also hopped aboard Sultana with Dr. McComas.
Using a net hauled over the side of Sultana, students caught and learned about a variety of aquatic species that call the Chester River home, including catfish, hogchokers and blue crabs.
They toured below decks, learning about the history of the vessel and its colonial maritime activities, and studied historical charts and maps topside.
Kent County Public Schools and the Sultana Education Foundation have a long partnership in bringing environmental education to life for students.
The foundation also assists with instruction through projects like Watershed Watch, teaching middle school students about the importance of getting actively involved in preserving natural habitats and protecting against pollution.
Kent County High School students embark on a canoe trip along Turner’s Creek and the Sassafras River, guided by the Sultana Education Foundation as part of the school’s environmental education program.
The foundation also hosts field trips that see students commanding their own vessels, like a Sept. 20 canoe excursion with Kent County High School students.
They launched from the landing at Turner’s Creek and paddled themselves out about a mile to the Sassafras River and around the bend to a beach at Gilchrest Pond.
The students learned how to use a seine net, which yielded a healthy catch of baitfish. Those minnows landed catches of larger fish, such as perch, and made for a hands-on lesson in the food chain.
“Our students always enjoy our trips to Turner's Creek,” said Tishara Collins, assistant principal and leader of the high school’s alternative program. “Students and staff both look forward to this time of community building with a lot of fun attached.”
Echo Hill Outdoor School is another long-time partner of Kent County Public Schools in providing immersive environmental education.
In early October, Kent County Middle School continued its annual tradition of a weeklong camping trip at Echo Hill for all sixth-graders. The educational component this year focused on investigating the presence of microplastics in the Chesapeake Bay.
This trip has provided a generation of students a shared bonding experience as well as a unique opportunity to get in touch with the natural world they will continue learning about in their environmental education studies.
“Through partnerships with organizations like Echo Hill Outdoor School, Sultana Education Foundation, ShoreRivers, the University of Maryland Extension, Washington College and Kent Soil and Water Conservation District, students engage in meaningful activities that enhance their understanding of local ecosystems,” Markosian said. “These collaborations enrich the curriculum, empowering students to become informed citizens who can positively impact their environment.”