Springtime at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is not only marked by the calls of redwinged blackbirds and other spring migrants, but also by phone calls from teachers who are inquiring about the refuge's environmental education (EE) program.

The spring EE program, a joint effort between the refuge and National Park Service staff, will begin on April 9 and conclude May 23. This year, I will be in charge of the program since Student Career Experience Program student Alison McGuire is student-teaching as part of her Master's in Education requirement.

Programs will be offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays and meet Virginia's Standards of Learning (SOL). Three programs, Aquatic Detectives, Bird Bonanza and Forest Ecology, will provide students with an opportunity to connect to the natural world while encouraging them to sustain and safeguard wild, living resources in their own backyards. Two interns, Marie-Melissa Kalamaras and Kim Warren, will be assisting me with planning and implementing this year's environmental education programs. Yes, springtime at the refuge will be busy, but the rewards will be many. Please contact me for further information.

Jill VanScoyoc
Outdoor Recreation Planner