The Kids Ecology Corps

The Kids Ecology Corps Newsletter
May - June 2013
  
Greetings!

BUTTERFLIES, MOTHS  
AND THEIR HABITATS  
at Snyder Park,  
Ft. Lauderdale, June 8th

On Saturday morning May 11 and then again on June 8th, Snyder Park Manager Todd Stilphen, Kids Ecology Corps staff and volunteers turned out to participate in a Eco-Action hands-on program for kids and their adult chaperons called "Butterflies, Moths and Their Habitats."  These workshops will be held the second Saturday of each month through December.

 

Kids ages 7 to 14 learned about the nature of butterflies and moths and the plants they need to survive. They also learned how to make a terrarium to grow those butterfly attracting plants.  Everyone made one terrarium for their own garden and as part of a community service commitment, made another terrarium to be planted in the new Butterfly Garden at Snyder Park once the plants have matured.

 

Led by lively Staff Member and Teacher Lisa Combs, the group viewed beautiful photographs of the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly and the Pluto Sphinx Moth and learned how to tell the difference between butterflies and moths by their physical traits. Lisa shared the science of the butterfly life cycle and myths and legends from various cultures about how butterflies came to be. She finished the presentation by demonstrating how to make fabulous Origami butterflies.

 

Master Gardener Art Constantino and Staff Environmental Scientist and new mom Lindsey Nieratka, demonstrated how to build the terrarium from a recycled two liter soda bottle, how to make a proper plant cutting and how to prepare it for the terrarium.  It was a butterfly, caterpillar, moth filled morning of fun!

 

Everyone in the group left with their own terrarium so they can start their own Butterfly Garden at home! 

 



 

 

PNC Bank Grand Opening May 11th!

 

 

PNC Bank celebrated their newest location - the corner of Davie Blvd and Andrews Ave.
in Ft. Lauderdale. 

 

Kids Ecology Corp along with a dozen other local businesses were on hand for the Grand Opening Celebration.  

 

Aaron Bethencourt, Bruce Starr and non-profit consultant Tony Beall enjoyed meeting PNC customers. The three were inspired by the interest in the KEC booth designed to educate community members about Butterfly's and the plants they love.  Over 50 butterfly attracting seedlings were planted in small potting containers made from recycled newspapers and distributed mostly to the kids.  

  

Parents of children ages 7 - 14 interested in learning more about Butterflies along with their children are encouraged to attend our new program free of charge. The "Butterflies, Moths and Their Habitats" program takes place at Snyder Park in Ft. Lauderdale and will continue to be held on the second Saturday of every month for the remainder of 2013.  

  

Click Here to Register

 

 Kids Ecology Corps hopes to work with PNC Bank again very soon!

  

Kids Ecology Corps at  

Whispering Pines Elementary School 
in Boca Raton

May 2013.  For the 7th year, Kids Ecology Corps has presented educational programs to students at Whispering Pines Elementary School.
 
KEC Teacher and Curriculum Writer/Advisor, Lisa Combs created and presented the Butterflies, Moths and Their Habitats Program to 120 school children. Long time KEC Volunteer Kay Skoog and KEC CEO Joan Starr were on hand to assist Lisa.   

 

As part of the power point presentation, students also viewed beautiful photographs of the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly, the Pluto Sphinx Moth and their caterpillars.  Lisa took questions from students and illustrated answers with the images bringing ooey-gooey fun science facts over three consecutive Mondays.  

 

The students acquired new butterfly vocabulary, fun facts and a new title. The students all stood at the end of the program to proclaim in unison: 
 
"I am a LEPIDOPTERIST!" 
 
"The Whispering Pines' students asked excellent questions," said Lisa.  "I am proud to have a new crew of Lepidopterists out there caring for the Florida Butterfly population." 

 

KEC added a Beach Verbena plant to the Butterfly Garden at Whispering Pines' for nectar sipping butterflies. 

 

Sincerely, 
Kids Ecology Corps Staff 
954-524-0366

Volunteers at Work
Volunteers learned how to take a cutting and transplant them into a terrariums. 
Master Gardener
Here is staff member Art Constantino working with volunteers showing them exactly how to create their own terrarium. 
Environmental Scientist
Staff member Lindsey Nieratka sharing her expertise with the volunteers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Kids Ecology Corps PNC booth manned by Aaron, Tony and Bruce


Our busy booth giving out seedlings in recycled paper planters.
One very happy recipient of our Butterfly attracting plant! 





Lisa Combs sharing her knowledge in the classroom.
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