By Gabe Silver, JRA Education and Outreach Manager
Those whose work involves email will be familiar with the
sense of dread held by the “inbox” upon one’s return from a vacation. So it was
for me, coming back in October after taking some time off, and facing my inbox
for the first time. Amongst the many electronic missives chronicling things to
be done, fixed, or responded to, was a simple message from Botetourt County
teacher Sharon Keith that warmed my heart, and that’s what I’d like to share
today.
Sharon Keith is one of nine teachers who, along with
students from her school, participated in this past summer’s James River
Expedition. The group from James River High School in Botetourt County came
halfway across the state one overcast Saturday this past July to begin paddling
in Richmond. Eight days of hard work and learning later, they paddled around
the point at Fort Monroe and into the Chesapeake Bay. The students had a chance
to connect with the river, living in and around it each day and learning from
their experience about the beauty, importance, and health of the river.
We say goodbye at the end of these amazing journeys and hope
that the inspiration about conservation and the environment lasts with each
participant. So an email like Sharon’s really makes my day!
She simply reported that she and her students had gotten
involved in the Upper James River Volunteer Clean-Up Day. She reported that
these energized young river rats not only decided to help with a day of pulling
tires and other trash out of the river, but had recruited fellow students to
help out as well. And furthermore, they don’t want to stop there; they want to
take on other river conservation projects in the future.
So thanks Sharon, for connecting your students to the James
River, and especially for taking the time to send us a few pictures. Seeing
kids take on cleaning up their world (most often a mess they didn’t create),
helps everyone stay inspired to keep working for a better future.
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