MH Elementary students build birdhouses, learn about bluebirds and conservation
CMHS volunteer Taryn Toner helps her brother, Austin, with his birdhouse. BREANNA HANLEY/THE EXPRESS
BREANNA HANLEY/THE EXPRESS Game Warden Garette Fallon presenting the Game Commission’s efforts to increase Eastern Bluebird populations.
BREANNA HANLEY/THE EXPRESS Three generations were on-hand to build birdhouses Friday. They are, from left, Wes Burrows, his daughter Carrie Walker and her son Jacob Walker.
PHOTO PROVIDED Jenny Kaluzney’s fourth grade class at Mill Hall Elementary pose with their finish Bluebird houses.
CMHS volunteer Taryn Toner helps her brother, Austin, with his birdhouse. BREANNA HANLEY/THE EXPRESS
BREANNA HANLEY/THE EXPRESS Game Warden Garette Fallon presenting the Game Commission’s efforts to increase Eastern Bluebird populations.
BREANNA HANLEY/THE EXPRESS Three generations were on-hand to build birdhouses Friday. They are, from left, Wes Burrows, his daughter Carrie Walker and her son Jacob Walker.
PHOTO PROVIDED Jenny Kaluzney’s fourth grade class at Mill Hall Elementary pose with their finish Bluebird houses.
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MILL HALL -- Fourth grade teachers Jenny Kaluzny, Jenna Packech and Beth Herrod at Mill Hall Elementary brought their classes together this week to teach their students about the importance of conservation efforts.
The Pennsylvania State Game Commission donated birdhouse kits to the school, and brought in a Game Warden to educate students on Bluebird conservation efforts.
This is the first time that the school has been able to have this event since before the COVID-19 pandemic, so everyone was excited to get started on their projects.
Kaluzny spearheaded the event, and welcomed all of the volunteers with brief introductions.
"I've done this project since I've been at Mill Hall. I did it with Liberty-Curtin as well. I took after Mr. (Wes) Burrows, who had started the program at Liberty-Curtin," she said. "When he retired I took over the project. We haven't done it (here) since 2019. It's pretty exciting."
Game Warden Garette Fallon presented to the students about the Eastern Bluebird.
"The presentation is on our efforts to bring their populations up and balance them with the other bird species in the area," said Fallon.
The students first listened to the presentation then were dismissed to the cafeteria where they would be building their bird houses.
The fourth grade students were helped by local volunteers and students from Central Mountain High School's Construction Trades class under the direction of their teacher, Bill Probst.
These high school students who were in attendance to help were: Hayden Long, Brody Long, Devin Snook, Natalie Trate, Kylee Mikitko, Lela Vanartsdalen, Taryn Toner and Robinson Villarreao.
Taryn Toner got the chance to help her little brother, Austin, with his project.
Similarly, there were three generations in attendance to help one student: Jacob Walker.
Jacob's mother, Carrie Walker, and his grandfather, Wes Burrows, were there to help him build his bird house.
When it was time to start building, Kaluzny handed the reins to her predecessor, Burrows, who began to explain to students and volunteers how to assemble the birdhouses. The kits were mostly straightforward, with instructions and pre-drilled holes.
"We make these because Bluebirds are cavity nesters. They won't build a nest like a robin would on a branch of a tree. They want a place that they can go in and feel safe," said Burrows, who encouraged students to take their time with the project. "Just be patient -- if you make a mistake, we can fix it."
The most important part of these projects were the memories made with family members and friends as the fourth grade students got some hands-on experience.
Principal Amy Breon walked through the event and spoke with some of the students as well.
"I feel strongly that elementary school is about providing foundational pieces for kids. But also about providing lots of experiences and memories. This is the stuff that makes your heart warm to see -- the kids interacting together and seeing them in a situation outside of reading, writing and arithmetic," said Breon.