While this seems ages ago – so much front loading of plans occurred!

From continuing to drag out the large event tent at 8:00 AM (early start) and attack the cleaning of this – to tracking down the parts we need for 2 replacement flaps,

this large project is being hit head on to work on erecting this tent as well as to figure out usage!

At 9:00 AM we had a super exciting surprise from Steve Schwartz and Randolph Guschl, former DuPont employees as well as current representatives of the Delaware Foundation for Science and Math Education (DFSME) providing a Shine the Light Award to us for our work and education in Science and Math. Needless to say, it was an HONOR to receive such an award but on top of that, these two esteemed individuals provided back history of the involvement of DuPont in the area. We even had representation from the Seaford Star present too!

I did appreciate these community members discussing how many unknown things that were done to the environment were then largely unknown of the repercussions on the environment and how vital it was, and is, to take proper measures to take better steps to protect the environment. Always this rests on many people’s minds, and as a total group of concerned citizens, we try our best to carry forward the effort to do better by the environment. The students received cool mini flashlights, I generously received a gift card, an iconic flashlight, certificate and more great info about the DFSME. We definitely will be able to make connections to the DFSME with the work we are doing together with the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy.

As part of the effort to keep bringing in additional experts in the field for the NRWC students, board members Holly and Gary Focht visited the trail and taught and showed the impacts of invasive and native species for our environment. Additionally, Mr. Gary Focht showed all work study members how to properly use a chain saw and the dangers of doing so – and the precautions to take as a result of them. There were trees in the way of a sign on the turn and with the proper trimming and now, visible as it should be!

Thanks to NRWC volunteers, Seaford’s FFA educator, and community members, several security cameras were installed along various parts of the trail for future protection of various aspects of the nature trail.

After these several hours, we moved into planning phase for creating a community festival called the Lolly Festival for families to occur at the end of July.

From there we moved to working on turning milk and juice containers into bird feeders to be given away at the Lolly Festival. THEN we distributed what would be the next community read dealing with the resource of water (hunt) – and broke into divisions to outline and break down the contents to connect with references to what readers would be coming across as they read this next community read book.

Finally, we created a Photocircle application that will contain all our captured photos for Upward Bound WorkStudy, 2024. Believe it or not, we were humming constantly through each hour and moving forward on plans that will keep the NRWC in front of the community to be involved.