This short Learning Celebration video, created by Mark Barroso of Fork in the Road Films, features Learning Celebration volunteers and fourth-graders having a wonderful educational experience down by the river.
Posted on: Wednesday November 25, 2009 EST
Haw River Festival Learning Celebration
The Haw River Festival Learning Celebration is a traveling environmental education program that journeys the entire 100-mile length of the Haw River. For three weeks in September and October a crew of educators, performers and river lovers brings a hands-on Learning Celebration to nearly 1,500 fourth graders from the six counties the river connects.
Children take a field trip from school to discover the wonders of a river in their own backyard. They see turtles and snakes, learn about waste reduction and solar energy, visit with old-timers who can tell about working in the mills or catching catfish with their bare hands, and gather with performers who get everybody singing about rivers and reptiles and recycling and how together we can make a difference.
The first Haw River Festival Learning Celebration took place in 1990 and was the recipient of a NC Take Pride in America award. In 1992, Festival founder Louise Kessel won the Women of Environmental Action award for North Carolina. Since 1990, over 33,000 students and 2,000 volunteers have participated in the Learning Celebration. Read about the Learning Celebration in this May 10 2000 Independent article.
Teachers! If would like to bring your class down to the river, contact the Haw River Assembly at (919)542-5790, info@hawriver.org.
Volunteers! If you'd like to volunteer for a week or a few days, cook a meal, loan us a truck, make a donation, or help out in any other way, please get in touch with the Haw River Assembly at (919)542-5790, info@hawriver.org.
Posted on: Tuesday June 26, 2007 EST
2009 Learning Celebration Marks 20 Years of River Education, Community and Fun!
The 2009 Haw River Learning Celebration (LC) marked an extraordinary 20 year milestone. The LC has provided Environmental Education for Fourth Graders and created a community of volunteer educators that has lasted the test of time. The 20th Anniversary of the Learning Celebration was a huge success thanks to over 115 dedicated volunteers who dedicated their time to educating over 1,100 fourth graders from throughout the watershed. With schools facing budget cuts and field trip limits is was an honor that 19 schools chose to attend the 20th Annual Haw River LC.
To help celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the LC many of the program's original volunteers ("old timers") returned to the scene, including LC founder Louise Kessel, who returned with her family to volunteer in Bynum. Louise shares these thoughts of reflection:
"For those of us who were around in year one, it’s quite an amazing feeling to see the festival weave its magic through these years... We have done a lot of growing too...as an organization, as individuals and as a community. The experience of spending a week immersed in adventure, physical work, service, community, and creativity, would help to create a community of activists ready to take up for the river whenever called. Now, the Haw River Assembly has an office and several staff who are working, along with members and volunteers, to protect the river in a variety of important ways. Twenty years ago, there were no staff people at all. The Learning Celebration can't take all the credit for this building and maturation of our river group, but I do think it helped! The fact of bringing all the elements of the Learning Celebration together in a few months time for the first Haw River Festival, was a small miracle. The fact that the Learning Celebration is now in its 20th year and still traveling the river with its merry band of volunteers is a bigger miracle that I am continually grateful for! Your support in hours and dollars will keep this project going another 20 years!"
The Learning Celebration is not possible without the dedication and support of volunteers. We owe a special thanks to Alan Best, Chris Carter, Paul Fleckenstein, Martha Pentecost and Eve, Sequoia and Gwynna Riihiluoma, who donated their time for the entire 3 week span of the LC. A special thank you to Rachel Winters for putting together a brand new on-line food sign-up sheet, for soliciting and organizing meal donations and for purchasing the food needed for breakfast and snack. Thank you Cynthia Crossen for being a great mentor and for providing 3 weeks of program support, leadership and songs. We are all grateful that Jenna Anderson was able to join us as the Safety and Logistics Coordinator for the 20th Anniversary of the LC. Jenna’s strong work ethic, calm manner and sense of humor were a great addition to crew life! Thank you to Germane James, HRA’s Development and Outreach Coordinator, for the many hours she spent on site and for the support she gave from the office. Lastly, this program would not be possible without the unwavering support of the HRA’s Executive Director Elaine Chiosso. We also appreciate the canoe guides, folks who pitched in to help with site moves and the landowners who made us feel so welcome! Please see below for our long list of thanks you!
Bringing the LC to life is a joyous and challenging adventure. I am proud to have been a part of this momentous occasion and thankful to be a part of such a hard working, dedicated and driven community. Thank you for everyone who donated their time and energy to making the 20th Anniversary of the Learning Celebration a great success and let's keep this one of a kind program alive for another 20 years!
A Special Thanks:
*Townsend and Bertram & Company for donating 2 tents
*Kevin Meehan for the Use-Yer-Foots
*Tom Roberts and the Chatham Mills Development Corporation for the use of the Chatham Mills
*Chris Carter and Solar Village
*N.C. State Parks with special thanks to Superintendent Mole for the use of the Lower Haw River State Natural Area
*Donovan Zimmerman and Lea Clayton for hosting in Saxapahaw
*the McFalls, Englands and Lujans for land use
*Camp Guilrock
*Paperhand Puppet Intervention for lending puppets
*Martha Pentecost the puppet show guru and volunteer extraordinaire
*Deborah Amaral for providing barn storage
*Jordan Properties for the use of the Red Bud Bard
*Wanda Sundermann and family for hosting and organizing the thank you party.
Thank you to the following food providers; Chatham Market Place, Food Lion, Harris Teeter and Lowes Food
An extra special thanks to Steering Committee Members Maja Kricker, Jo Sanders, Eric Chetwynd, Libby Searles-Bohs, Katie Rose, Cynthia Crossen and Martha Pentecost.
Thank you to the HRA Board of Directors, Executive Director Elaine Chiosso, Development and Outreach Coordinator Germane James, Canoe Guides Joe Jacobs and Jeff Dotson, Cecelia Vassar for soliciting gift certificates and Lynn Featherstone for the use of his monster truck!
Posted on: Friday October 24, 2008 EST
Natural and Cultural History on the Haw River
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Haw River...but didn't think to ask...
An Overview of the River's Geography, Cultural and Natural History Read more...
Posted on: Thursday July 12, 2007 EST
Classroom Activities Related to the Haw River
Teachers, here are some ideas for classroom activities to get your students interested in the Haw River. Feel free to use them in any way that you choose, and as a springboard for your own class curriculum. Read more...
The Haw River Festival Learning Celebration is a traveling environmental education program that journeys the entire 100-mile length of the Haw River. For three weeks in September and October a crew of educators, performers and river lovers brings a hands-on Learning Celebration to nearly 1,500 fourth graders from the six counties the river connects.
The 2009 Haw River Learning Celebration (LC) marked an extraordinary 20 year milestone. The LC has provided Environmental Education for Fourth Graders and created a community of volunteer educators that has lasted the test of time. The 20th Anniversary of the Learning Celebration was a huge success thanks to over 115 dedicated volunteers who dedicated their time to educating over 1,100 fourth graders from throughout the watershed. With schools facing budget cuts and field trip limits is was an honor that 19 schools chose to attend the 20th Annual Haw River LC.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Haw River...but didn't think to ask...
Teachers, here are some ideas for classroom activities to get your students interested in the Haw River. Feel free to use them in any way that you choose, and as a springboard for your own class curriculum.