eagle club

Bringing a virtual program to life

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This winter, we led a four-week virtual enrichment program for 3rd grade students at the Kelly School in Holyoke with the Boys & Girls Club. We engaged 40 youth over Zoom and collaborated with four returning guest instructors from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, UMass, and the Mass Young Birders Club. The program was focused on local wildlife, animal traits and adaptations, and urban birding.

Ellie Viggiani, 2020-21 TerraCorps Youth Education Coordinator, reflects on developing and facilitating the program:

This was the first time Eagle Eye had ever run a virtual program, so all our lesson plans had to be made from scratch. A lot of time went into researching virtual enrichment and creating content for the sessions. There were many more students than we originally thought, and although this changed some of the ways that we ran the program, it was wonderful to be able to reach such a wide array of students.

The students responded really well to the subject material, wildlife in Holyoke. Animals are a topic usually well received by students, especially in elementary school. The subject matter allowed us for a lot of flexibility with our programming. The games and icebreakers for the program were also a hit among the students. The group had a lot of energy and having high motion games worked well for the age group. We learned that having two people managing the zoom call and co-hosting was necessary! One of the staff members was able to monitor the chat, call on students, and monitor the energy of the group while the other could focus on teaching.

The biggest challenge was figuring out how to translate Eagle Eye programs to a virtual format. This came with quite a bit of trial and error. We had more students join than we had expected, which made us adapt our programming to be suitable for a large audience. Students joined the Zoom call from many different locations and environments, which meant that our lessons had to be adaptable to fit different needs. For example, not every student had space to stand up during our activities, so we gave students modified versions. Technology always poses challenges, but we stayed adaptable and responded to the conditions.

Our first virtual program was a success and exciting to create and lead. It provided Eagle Eye with the opportunity to branch out from our in-person programming yet still meet our program goals of connecting youth with themselves, others, and nature with relevant, place-based content. Despite the virtual setting, students had the opportunity to engage with the environment and wildlife right outside their windows and meet and learn from professionals in the natural resources. It was wonderful to work with this group of students. Their energy and enthusiasm brought this program to life.

Partnership, Stewardship, & Mentorship

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By Jose Sanchez, 2014 Spring Intern

For the past six months, I have been privileged to work with Eagle Eye Institute as an intern through Northeastern University’s Co-op program. Working in the office and leading youth programs I have witnessed the incredible passion it takes to make partnerships come to life. In particular, I am most proud to have been given the opportunity to help lead the first youth programming at Medford High School (MHS).

The formation of this new EAGLE (Earth Advocates Green Leaders for the Environment) Club was made possible with the help of MHS’s headmaster, John Perella, and physical education teacher, Matt Galusi, who are both focused on getting students and staff engaged in outdoor education. The 3,400-acre Middlesex Fells Reservation is located right behind the school, which would lead one to believe that it is commonly used by the Medford High community. Unfortunately, a large portion of the school community is unfamiliar with their forested reserve. The MHS EAGLE Club aims to connect the school community with their backyard oasis of natural beauty, wildlife, and ecological prosperity.

This past spring, over 40 MHS juniors and seniors spent their weekly gym periods learning about the ecology of the Fells while playing an active role in maintaining its integrity as part of an “Outdoor Pursuits” physical education elective. EAGLE Club lessons included vernal pool ecology, preservation and protection, invasive species removal, tree identification, water quality, and trail maintenance. Throughout the program we introduced concepts of environmental stewardship and related them back to youths’ daily lives.

Some of the students involved in this programming were inspired to take part in additional stewardship projects Eagle Eye offered in the Lawrence Woods section of the Fells when school was out in June. During these completely voluntary work days, we focused on invasive species removal, water bar installations, and the construction of a foot bridge along one of the trails leading from the high school. Students actively played a role in improving their community and protecting their environment – choosing to take their free time to connect with and care for nature.

Since the start of my internship I have grown both professionally and personally. Working with students so close in age to myself has caused me to reflect on the path I have taken since high school and figure out why I made the choices that led to my present course in life. For example, the first time EAGLE Club met as a class, students asked why I chose to study environmental science and why I chose to go to Northeastern University. I felt a deep searching and sincerity in their questions and it led me to some deep thinking on the matter. I realized I was in a unique position to be an example for the students. I recognized that they are on the verge of figuring out who they want to be in this world, what colleges or career paths they want to head on to – a position I so recently was in myself. I was amazed to realize that through sharing of myself, I might be able to help them navigate their own choices.

After giving my canned response initially, I came back the next week and shared truthfully and with full conviction. I told the students that my passion for the environment has been a recent discovery that is constantly widening and evolving. I conveyed how my love for the natural world caused me to change majors, colleges, and cities in order to be in the position that I am now. I shared with them my memories of exploring my dad’s old hunting grounds in upstate New York and my family camping trips to Letchworth State Park – where I first found the peace and comfort that nature continues to bring me today. I disclosed how I recently became aware of a strong connection between the natural world and my mental health. From the well of my honesty, students became comfortable enough to share their own hopes and desires for the future. I found the students that I made connections with seemed more able to step out of their comfort zones and become more involved in EAGLE Club activities. Slowly they were able to point out the role nature was playing in their lives and some said they wanted more connection with nature too.

I am blessed to have played an active role as leader and mentor in EAGLE Club. I was inspired by the students and the stewardship work we conducted. I was as transformed by the experience as some of the youth were. EAGLE Club was an opportunity for youth and adults to be directly connected with youth and each other – allowing nature to teach and be a conduit for sharing that couldn’t happen in the classroom. Eagle Eye and I are extremely excited to see how the partnership with Medford High School will grow and continue the important work of inspiring youth to care for the environment.