Try This!

A Walk on the Wild Side

What better way to teach children about their watershed than to take them out into it?

A program called "A Walk on the Wild Side" brought members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbus to High Banks Metro Park to learn what creatures are living in the Olentangy River with help from Anne Baird and Joe Bonnell, two watershed specialists. The purpose of the program was to give inner-city youth the opportunity to be related to the natural environment and each other while learning about the creatures living in a local river.

After exploring the River, the children put their discoveries to paper with help from local artists Julie Vujevich (OSU School of Natural Resources) and Steve Caldwell (president of a local arts council). Their drawings will be on display at Children's Hospital in Columbus.

How We Did It

To arrange this program, OSU Extension personnel contacted the Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbus to select a date for the program. Many youth organizations like Boys and Girls Clubs and Big Brothers, Big Sisters conduct field trips during the summer and welcome the opportunity to participate in outdoor educational programs. Many of these organizations are listed in your local phone directory.

The next step was to contact the Naturalists at Highbanks Metroparks to reserve a date on their calendar. The naturalists with Columbus Metroparks conduct programs for youth groups throughout the year. They are experienced in working with youth groups and have all the equipment necessary to conduct a streamwalk. Contact the parks department or state parks in your area to find out if and when nature programs are offered.

To give the children a chance to express what they learned, artist Steve Caldwell offered to bring art supplies (paper, crayons, charcoal, and mat board) and lead the artistic portion of the program.

Finally, arrangements were made to display the artwork that the children would be creating. The Program Director at Children's Hospital in Columbus was pleased to offer space in one of the main hallways of the hospital to hang the drawings.

See additional photos...