Are you interested in joining us for Nature Treks?  A Hiram Community Trust Grant provides funding to take Crestwood Intermediate School students on extra field trips on their scheduled days off.   Our next trek will be 9:00-4:00 on Valentine’s  Day, February 14. This trek will showcase hiking  and Lake Erie in winter. We will begin the day by carpooling to Penitentiary Glenn, where a naturalist will speak to trekkers about animal rehabilitation.  A short hike to view the top of the gorge plus a visit to the Nature store will highlight this stop. Then we will travel to Chapin Forest to hike to the overlook to see Lake Erie and Cleveland. Next will be a quick stop at Mentor Headlands to see a frozen Lake Erie! If time permits, trekkers will visit the West Woods Nature Center and have a short hike.

Students, parents, and grand parents joined us for our Martin Luther King Day trek to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. (CVNP)  We started our journey at the frigid, blustery Crestwood Intermediate School parking lot. Matt Sorrick, director of Science Education for Hiram College and pre-service teacher, Anna Chincinnelli helped to supervise 13of my students.  We started our day by hiking to the Beaver Marsh along the towpath for the Erie Canal.  Students observed evidence of fresh gnawing by the beavers plus looked into the remains of an existing lock.  Next stop was the Boston Store with canal exhibits and viewing of the "Generations" PBS video of CVNP's history.  Lunch was eaten inside the Ledges Shelter while Mr. Bob Yehil answering trekkers questions about his personal history.  Mr. Yehil served as park ranger for thirty two years when CVNP was a metro park for Summit County with only 6,000 acres.  (The existing CVNP encompasses 33,000 acres stretching as a corridor between Akron and Cleveland.  Our day was complete with a hike of Ritchie Ledges where students explored hidden passages and caves formed from the ancient river bed that once covered the valley.  A highlight of our trek was roasting smores and hot dogs over the fire inside the shelter.  Trekkers had an enjoyable but cold day in the park!

Are you interested in joining us for Nature Treks?  A Hiram Community Grant provides funding to take Crestwood Intermediate School students on extra field trips on their scheduled days off. 

 Our next trek will be 9:00-4:00 on Martin Luther King Day, January 20.  One Hiram College Van can transport 10 students but parents or grandparents are encouraged join us by driving to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  This trek will showcase hiking in the valley in winter.  We will begin the day on the towpath at the Beaver Marsh to observe the winter wetland.  Then we will travel to the Boston Store to view displays on Canal history. Lunch will be at the Ledges Shelter with hot dogs and smores provided.  Students will interview CVNP volunteer Robert Yehle who will answer student’s questions regarding park history.  Weather permitting we will finish with a Ledges hike or Kendal Lake loop. 

Each trek will include a preview & follow up after school meeting using technology to record Then and Now stories regarding sites. Trekkers will meet at Crestwood Intermediate school Jan. 15 in room 306 and Jan. 22 in room 212 from 3:30-4:30. Please complete the attached permission slip by Jan. 10 to reserve a spot to CVNP. Costs will be $15 for all three sessions which includes supervision, journal, trade book, snacks, and transportation. (Students who qualify for free or reduced luch fee is $5.)

Nature Treks is sponsored by Matt Sorrick, Director of the Cennter for Science Education at Hiram College. Rosemary Krupar, Crestwood Intermediate School third grade teacher, is the Nature Treks Instructor and Hiram College Adjunct Instructor. Contact Rosemary Krupar at gkrupar@windstream.net for more details.