Under the direction of Mrs. Cheryl Timmermann, Clinton County 4-H Coordinator for University of Illinois Extension, Mater Dei students Reagan Abert, Sam AuBuchon, Abby Brandenburger, Carly Etter, Justin Fritch, Will Schleper, and Mattie Sullivan provided the Honey Bee Challenge program to students enrolled in Albers Elementary School, All Saints Academy, and Germantown Elementary School. In May, they will provide the program to students enrolled in Aviston Elementary School and Damiansville Elementary School.
The Mater Dei students first facilitate a “farm to table” activity, during which they teach the vital role of honeybees in agriculture and food production; show the current threat to honey bee habitats; and explore ways to preserve honey bee habitats, including planting pollinator gardens. They then facilitate the challenge, during which the elementary students must build a forage route that allows their “bee bot” to collect pollen from the field and to return it to the commercial bee keeper.
We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in this Clinton County 4-H program, which not only brings hands-on, real-life science activities into elementary classrooms, but also provides our students the opportunity to enhance their leadership and public-speaking skills.
