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"e" inc. In The Media |
Charlestown Paper
**CPB - AUG 24 - "E" INC. STORY**
Photo: e-ink-KatieKids
Credit: A. Bowers
Caption: Teacher Katie Pritchard with students in "e" inc.'s ocean biodiversity class.
The Planet Protectors to the rescue
by Alexandra Bowers
It's an unusual cast: three turtles, two storm drains and three kids walking down a Boston street. One boy drops his empty chip bag on the sidewalk. The storm drains pipe up and say that litter can block the drain and cause flooding, while the turtles explain that if a bag reaches the sea, it can lodge in their stomach and they can starve to death. The moral of the story: one person's action can have a ripple effect as far as the depths of the ocean.
The playwrights are students in "e" inc.'s "Planet Protectors" ocean biodiversity class. "e" inc. is a non-profit organization that teaches urban children environmental science and how to be a citizen conservationist.
The "e" inc. class is part of a larger initiative, called "Bell Boys," a summer program for boys who are at risk academically. There are 40 10-year-old boys enrolled in the program that is housed at Bunker Hill Community College.
Bell Boys is run by the Bell Foundation, a non-profit founded by a group of Black and Latino students at Harvard Law School in 1992. Its mission is "to dramatically increase the academic achievements, self-esteem and life opportunities of children living in low-income, urban communities."
"e" inc. shares the mission of providing students with academic opportunities. Its goal is to expose children to science education, environmental citizenship and civic involvement, said Dr. Ricky Stern, executive director and founder of "e" inc.
The program's curricula seek to increase science literacy, community conservation, and the realization that every person can improve the world through his or her actions. To achieve these goals, the students do science experiments and investigations into the natural world around them.
"Teaching for understanding is the goal," said Stern, adding that the staff use team games, hands-on projects and "teach-back" exercises to reinforce concepts.
"With a small group, you can dig deep into science and partner it with action," said Stern, adding that the kids learn that they can have an effect on their environment. "Then they are people better equipped to be an agent of change."
In the Planet Protectors class, the students learn about topography, or the physiology of a fish, through hands-on experiments, including making physical items that demonstrate concepts. Students are then expected to teach other students what they have learned - like writing a play that shows the damage a single piece of litter can do.
The "e" inc. class is taught by Katie Pritchard, an "e" inc. educational coordinator with background in human ecology and the environment.
"The thing about working with an urban population is that it's challenging and the rewards are much heightened," said Pritchard. "The energy I take from them is because of their innocence. It's touching that they've never been to the beach and they live in Boston. We want to broaden their horizons."
"It can be a group with challenges in [their] lives that I haven't encountered in my experiences as an adult," continued Pritchard. "We can help them control one aspect of their life."
Curious about involving your
school? Call: 617-761-8434. |
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