Fourth grade students at Bear Creek School recently participated in the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Seedlings for Schools program, a statewide environmental initiative designed to engage students in hands-on learning and conservation.

Eric Balak, gifted education teacher at Bear Creek School, enrolled the school in the Seedlings for Schools program—a partnership between the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Howard Nursery and the Wildlife for Everyone Foundation. As part of the program, Bear Creek received 300 silky dogwood seedlings grown and shipped from the Howard Nursery in Centre County, Pennsylvania.

Each fourth-grade student received their own silky dogwood seedling to take home and plant, offering a personal opportunity to contribute to local environmental health. The program encourages students to embrace their role as environmental caretakers while enjoying an outdoor classroom experience.

Students in Mr. Balak’s gifted program helped facilitate the distribution of the seedlings by working in an assembly line to sort, package, and deliver them to homerooms. Each seedling was accompanied by a hands-on activity packet and an informational page including planting and handling instructions.

Additionally, student teams delivered brief presentations to their homerooms, sharing facts about silky dogwoods and their importance to the ecosystem. This effort not only supported science education but also fostered leadership and communication skills.

Bear Creek School is proud to participate in programs that build environmental awareness and empower students to make a positive impact on their communities.

Click the image below for an event slideshow: