Patton College of Education to host after-school Green Project Club for children

ATHENS — The Patton College of Education’s Stevens Literacy Center is pleased to announce the second annual Green Project Club for fall 2024.

“Green Project Club is a dynamic initiative that empowers children to become environmental stewards while nurturing their love for learning,” said Julie Barnhart Francis, director of the Stevens Literacy Center. “Our club, which takes place both fall and spring, is a way for us to continue our community and literacy outreach throughout the school year. Our goal is to educate young students about the environment around them and sharpen their literacy skills.”

This unique after-school program is designed to educate and empower children about environmental conservation, climate change and literacy. Each week, students will engage with books about the environment and participate in interdisciplinary, hands-on activities that explore environmental topics.

“Our Green Project Club is a time for kids and college students to learn together about saving the planet,” said Barnhart Francis. “We investigate complex topics like deforestation, endangered animals, and greenhouse gas emissions through age-appropriate literacy plus STEM and art activities.”

While the after-school club is held during the school year, the Green Project Camp, co-sponsored with University College, is held every summer for the entire month of June. Over 40 children participated in the summer camp this year. Guest speakers from the university and community joined the camp to share their expertise, including Camille Licate and Kids for Positive Change.

Several field trips took campers to local sites like OHIO’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment, OHIO’s Compost Facility, and Integration Acres Pawpaw farm. The Patton College’s Noyce Fellows, funded by an NSF grant, investigated climate literacy and STEM education with the campers.

Green Project Club fall 2024 dates

The after-school Green Project Club is open to children, ages 6-12, and will take place each Wednesday, Oct. 16 — November 20, from 5 — 6 p.m., at the Stevens Literacy Center located in Patton Hall on Ohio University’s Athens Campus.

• Oct. 16

• Oct. 23

• Oct. 30

• Nov. 6

• Nov. 13

• Nov. 20

The cost for all six weeks of Green Project Club is $50 per student. To register please visit: https://ohio.qualtrics.com/.

For more information about the Stevens Literacy Center visit: https://www.ohio.edu/.

Submitted by Ohio University