Thank you Novelis, Inc. for providing this trip to our youth!
Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club recently visited Jeykll Island for an immersive educational experience at 4H Camp Jekyll. The trip was sponsored by Novelis, Inc., who believes in the power of providing STEM education for youth.
As soon as Club members arrived on the island they became scientist in training spending each day alongside local ecologists of Tidelands Nature Center to learn how beaches are formed, disrupted by weather, the animals who live among the sand dunes and how humans can play a role in protecting the beach wildlife.
“Members gained insight on howthe moon and the sun control the waves and tides as well as how sand dunes are made and how they act as a protection shield when there is a hurricane,” Diedra Richbow, Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club Programs Coordinator, shared. “The youth were highly interested in beach wildlife, which is why the beach walk at night was such a hit amongst our youth.”
Club members walked the beach from 8 to 9 pm one evening to learn about the activities of animals at night on the beach, such as sea turtles coming up on the beach to bury their eggs.
“After seeing such a feat from the Sea Turtle, Club youth were over the moon to learn they would be learning about them the next day, Richbow added.
Club youth learned about Herpetology at the Tidelands Nature Center and were given the opportunity to touch a turtle, alligator and a snake.
“The show stopper experience for our youth during their Camp Jekyll experience was the Ecology and Dolphin Boat Tour,” she shared. “Members were taught about the survival of dolphins and their intelligence. Youth participated in a team building activity which involved them throwing a fishing net into the water to catch fish and pulling it out with the net being occupied by all kinds of ocean animals. For many of our Club youth this was the first time they had ever seen a dolphin.”
“This experience is one our Club youth will remember for the rest of their lives. The youth spent the entire ride home sharing how they were interested in ecology as a career and wanting to visit again,” Richbow shared.
Charity Burnette of Novelis, Inc. shared that Novelis hopes to provide youth in Greene County “STEM education activities that they otherwise wouldn’t get to participate in.”
“A lot of kids in Greensboro have never left the county,” she added. In addition to the STEM activities, we wanted to help the Club youth have an opportunity to travel and experience new things outside of the familiar. We are so thrilled to learn of all they were able to engage with and learn.”
Stacy McClendon, Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club Director, shared his gratitude for Novelis’ continued partnership with PNBGC.
“Without great partnerships we would be unable to continue to expand the uniquely crafted experiences we offer the youth of Greene County,” he shared. “We are so grateful for Novelis’ vision and dedication to impacting youth through educational efforts alongside us.”
To learn more about Pete Nance Boys & Girls Club, visit www.bgcncg.com/petenance or call 770-267-8033