Wood Acres E.S. Celebrates Earth Week

Wood Acres Elementary School, the largest elementary school in the Walt Whitman High School cluster, is holding Earth Week activities this week, according to a school statement.

On Earth Day (April 22) Wood Acres' first rain barrel was unveiled. "Students arriving before school [learned] about the importance of a rain barrel to collect water from storms. This rain barrel will store water for use during the hot summer to water the trees and shrubs around Wood Acres. Also, it will prevent erosion caused by heavy and fast gushes of storm water into our sewers and deposit less pollution into the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay," according to the statement.

Montgomery County Council Member Roger Berliner, who attended the rail barrel unveiling, said that "I'm very excited to commemorate Earth Day with a celebration of the new rain barrel. This is an important effort that will help students engage in environmental education and I'm so pleased that these programs have the support of Principal Marita Sherburne and the Wood Acres PTA."

Also on Monday, Little Falls Watershed Alliance's Sarah Morse, of Chevy Chase, gave a brief talk to students at the school (located at 5800 Cromwell Dr., Bethesda).

On Tuesday, students began Trashless Tuesdays, encouraging lunches to be brought to school in washable, reusable containers. "This Trashless Tuesdays program will continue throughout the school year, focusing on reducing the amount of refuse Wood Acres generates," the school's statement added.

For Wednesday, a project in which students will write pledges to the Earth on homemade paper leaves hung on cardboard tree cutouts is planned.

A recess-time introduction to composting—by Sophia Maravell of the Brickyard Educational Farm in Potomac—takes place on Thursday.

And, on Friday, magician Joe Romano performs his "Green Magic!" assembly for the younger grades, and all students are encouraged to wear green to celebrate Earth.

How are you celebrating Earth this week? Tell us in the comments.