News from Mexico by Dianne Griffin
Columbus Academy, Gahanna, Ohio
Sunday, March 21, 2011
Dear Friends,
Changes that have taken place since last year's flood and a community's desire to make improvements, were my impressions of my recent visit to the community of Angangueo, especially when visiting the schools near the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuaries.
On the day I arrived at Escuela Isaac Arriaga, the student's voices were buzzing with excitement. They were preparing an environment presentation to help make improvements in Angangueo. A panel of seven students representing the 5th and 6th grades presented these ideas to the school and families to improve the ecology of their community.
- recycle by sorting materials; glass, paper, cans, and organics into different colored containers, then help deliver collected materials to Ciudad Hildago, a town nearby.
- stop dumping garbage into the river.
- collect trash off the roadsides and forests.
- use and reuse materials fully so that there is less waste. One student said to fill empty pages in their notebooks to not waste paper. Another showed how to reuse plastics like making terrariums and planters and a variety of toys. A third student showed how to make different decorations from their holiday papers.
- take better care of the butterflies by stop cutting the trees in the forests.
After their ideas were presented, the students sang the song "El Progreso". This song shares it is important to make connections between people, places and nature. "La armonia reside en proteger lavido de la tierra." This quote from the presentation in English says, "Harmony lies for the protection of life on earth."
I couldn't help but notice the migrating Monarch Butterflies flying overhead and even a few dropping down into the courtyard during the presentation! The teachers and students hope to spread their conservation message by using the local radio and present their ideas to the municipality.
I walked through the town with Estela Romero and school director Armando Hernandez. They showed me how the adults in Angangueo are rebuilding their homes and designing a way to control the river so that they hopefully will not experience a terrible flood disaster again in the future.
It was exciting for me to be part of this presentation and to bring back pictures and activities they did for our science students where I teach at Columbus Academy in Ohio. As Earth Day is approaching I wondered what the students in the United States and Canada are doing to improve their communities. At the end of my visit we said our goodbyes and voiced that as we come to understand each other and as our friendship grows we can work together to protect our Earth.
Dianne Griffin
Columbus Academy
Gahanna, Ohio
