Protect

WATER - Rain Barrels (new): This was a really fun project our students LOVED!

DO: Students assisted in making the rain barrels.

LEARN: John Oxner, Director of Soil and Water Conservation of Lexington County provided a "hands on" learning experience for the Irmo students. Prior to this activity, students learned in their science class about rain barrels and their function and importance in protecting water in a special unit on WATER.

DO: Students assisted in the rain barrel building and had a great time!

These are the two rain barrels in position and leveled on cinder blocks by students to allow watering cans under the water spigot.

TEACH others: Esra, an IHS student photographer, made pictures of this learning event. Jack, another student, wrote an article about it for the online school newspaper THE STINGER which was posted in the IHS Facebook page on March 10, 2020 . There was also an article about this project in the Oct-Dec 2019 online "Water Watch" newsletter by Mary Hite, Stormwater Outreach Assistant in Lexington County. Mary was with us the day our rain barrels were built and she was very helpful and also answered questions by our students. This is the link to Facebook on March 10, 2020.www.facebook.com/465169940216632/posts/2872479569485645/?d=n

LITTER PREVENTION: On Site Project (sustain) - See how this particular project relates to our tree planting project. The Irmo AF JROTC has done on-site litter removals regularly for many years.

Students volunteered to remove on site litter at the school.

This was in late November 2019 just before Jennifer's Memorial Tree was to be dedicated in a private family service.

The students wanted to make sure the courtyard area the family would pass through would be litter free!

LEARN: A student photographer was going to make the photo of Linda Byars, volunteer mentor who instructs the students, in late March although the actual instruction happened in November as the student volunteers prepared for the event. Students were instructed about safe ways and techniques to pick up litter as well as the values of removing litter. Our students have extreme respect for Jennifer's Tree and wanted to make sure our grounds looked good when the family came to dedicate the tree.

DO: The three photos above demonstrate doing the project. An Adopt-A-Highway report card was completed soon after this event.

TEACH others: An IHS Facebook post about this on-site litter removal was on April 22, 2020 EARTH DAY.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY: Plants in Every Classroom (A large quantity of Kalanchoe succulents were donated by the community for this project. Dr. Mary Kennerly donated some from her home garden and Seven Oaks Plant Shop then donated enough for us to finish this project. Community is an important and involved part of our Green Steps program!)

IB Environmental Science teacher Peter Lauzon sent a survey to all faculty/staff of their current status of having a plant in the classroom or space. The results of this survey allowed us to focus on where the plants needed to go. Biology teacher Bonnie Robinson kept the log updated as each plant was delivered to teachers and staff. Our students delivered 50 plants to teachers or staff before school stopped. We will continue this project next year.

LEARN: Linda Byars, volunteer gardening mentor at IHS, instructs students about the proper ways to plant and care for flowers and plants.

DO: Students plant in flower pots with drainage at the bottom to be delivered to every teacher at IHS who currently did not have a plant in their space.

Students laminated and prepared tags to be inserted in each plant with care instructions for the Kalanchoe succulents.

Plants were delivered to teachers.

TEACH: A special IHS Facebook post about the value of plants in the environment was posted on 4-22-2020 EARTH DAY.

OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY - Tree planting (sustain - IB also did a tree project last year)

In late November 2019 a Japanese Magnolia Tulip tree was planted at IHS in memory of a former student who passed away 20 years ago from cystic fibrosis. Irmo's Special Needs students take great pride in caring for this special tree!

DO: Students took special care of Jennifer's Tree by adding a liquid root stimulator to the water when watering.

Early spring 2020 Jennifer's Tree is blooming and the students were thrilled to see this!

Late March 2020 foliage developed

The planting of Jennifer's Memorial tree by Woodley's Garden Center in late November 2019 in the large green space of the Freedom Gardens

Jennifer's Tree on 4-17-2020

LEARN: Linda Byars, volunteer garden mentor at IHS, worked with the students regularly so they would learn how to properly care for the tree. The students also learned the value trees provide in air quality, oxygen production, stabilizing soil erosion, wildlife habitat, and recreation/enjoyment. A photo by an Irmo student photographer of Linda Byars instructing the students had been planned for late March although the actual learning had been taking place regularly.

TEACH others: A post about this was on IHS Facebook 4-2-2020 and again on 4-22-2020 EARTH DAY.

WATER: DNR's Trout in the classroom (sustain)

IB students' baby trout

DO: The IB students were checking water chemistry to best sustain and nourish the baby trout.

LEARN: This photo is currently unavailable but the instruction and learning clearly happened regularly.

TEACH others: An IHS Facebook post about the DNR trout project was done on 4-22-2020 EARTH DAY.

NOTE: COVID-19 prevented this project from completing as planned. DNR came and got the trout from the classroom and released them without the students.

DNR's Sarah Chabaane helps IHS students celebrate the successful trout release in spring 2019.

OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY: DHEC's B2 Breathe Better (Anti-Idling Program) - (sustain)

Students counted vehicles that were idling in the student pick up line.

More counting of idling vehicles in the drive through/parking area. Plans were to re-evaluate the number of vehicles idling later in the year after requests were made to not idle. This project is incomplete and will continue next year.

This is one of two anti-idling signs on campus. New signs were given to maintenance for installation but they are not yet installed.

THIS PROJECT WILL BE CONTINUED NEXT YEAR.

LITTER PREVENTION - Litter Free Games (sustain - this is the third year this has been done by the Bands of Irmo)

Irmo Band students picked up litter after the 5A Marching Band State Competition hosted by IHS on November 2, 2019. The planning and implementation of this Litter Free Games event was done by the Irmo Music Foundation. It was a very successful group effort!

This group partnered with Keep the Midlands Beautiful for bottle and can recycling. Sonoco Recycling was contacted to provide a recycling trailer for cardboard.

Vendors were told to separate food stained and non food stained cardboard. Irmo band students/parents removed the cardboard for the vendors. Sonoco applauded the efforts to reduce waste at this event and commented the material they received was VERY CLEAN.

There were approximately 8000 visitors on school grounds throughout the day. Our students wore T-shirts and were required to walk the stadium after the event to pick up litter.

There were 125 students participating in this Litter Free Games event. Extra trash receptacles were placed on site and a recycling stand was placed next to every trash can.

An amazing 520 pounds of cardboard were recycled at Sonoco from this event! This was up from 420 pounds recycled at an October 2019 recycling event at Irmo High School.

There is not a specific photo for the LEARN portion of this project; however, there were many planning/organizational meetings and students were instructed appropriately.

The DO portion is documented by the six pictures included.

To TEACH others the announcer made announcements to our guests throughout the program about recycling. In addition, there was an advertisement in the program for this event about the Litter Free Games and recycling.

LITTER PREVENTION: Off-site Projects (sustain)

The Irmo High School AF JROTC has been participating in Adopt-A-Highway with the St. Andrews Rotary Club 4 times a years for more than 20 years. Our cadets are a regular part of the St. Andrews Rotary Club AAH team.

The Irmo cadets are preparing a video that represents and reflects their work in litter reduction and the important, positive difference this makes in our community. It will be released to AAH and Palmetto Pride in the next school year.

Teach!! We celebrated our accomplishments and tried to teach the world on Facebook April 22, 2020! www.facebook.com/465169940216632/posts/2977397765660491/?d=n

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