On Thursday, June 12 at 9:30 a.m. representatives of the Schuylkill Action Network’s 350 person membership base, including Jineen Boyle of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Kelly Anderson of the Philadelphia Water Department and a representative for the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, will present a Scholastic Drinking Water Award to Robeson Elementary students.
During the ceremony, which will take place at the Robeson Elementary Center at 801 White Bear Road in Birdsboro, the students will also dedicate a sign showcasing the campus meadow they created using native grasses, shrubs and trees.
The students replaced almost three acres of their school’s lawn to eliminate dirty water runoff into the local creek, provide wildlife with a refuge from nearby development and provide their peers with an outdoor classroom in which to learn. The students also created a pollinator garden and removed blacktop.
The Scholastic Drinking Water Awards are given to reward students for taking an interest in their community’s impact on the Schuylkill River valley and recognize teachers and volunteers who make school properties more environmentally friendly.
The project was made possible thanks to the Pennsylvania DEP’s Growing Greener program. Valuable materials and assistance were also provided by The Berks Conservancy, Dyer Quarry and Robeson Township.
