CURWENSVILLE – The Curwensville Area Revitalization Entity will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at Irvin Park in Curwensville at 2:40 p.m. Tuesday to kick off the start of construction of a tree ring timeline display designed and constructed by students of the Curwensville Area School District.
In April, the Curwensville Area School District was awarded a $3,000 environmental education grant by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to design and construct an environmental education display at Irvin Park.
The display will use a cross section of a red oak tree that was harvested at Irvin Park as part of the Curwensville Borough tree management plan for the park.
Curwensville Area High School computer drafting technology education students have collaborated to design the tree ring timeline display and students from the technology metal and wood classes will construct the display.
Seventh grade science class students will research and develop environmental education information while students in the high school local history course will research and develop local historical data to be included on the display.
The gathered information will be displayed by the technology education classes using laser engraving.
Students will use the tree ring timeline display as part of the regular environmental science curriculum at the Curwensville Area School District.
The total number of Curwensville Area School District students participating in the design and construction of the display is approximately 85 students, and the total students interacting with the completed project is approximately 1,109 students.
As Gov. Tom Wolf stated in his award letter to the school district, “Environmental education efforts like yours help to further our mission to improve all Pennsylvanians’ environmental literacy, preparing them to make wise decisions and take positive action on behalf of the environment. The conservation of the Commonwealth’s resources for future generations depends on the effectiveness of these efforts.”
The Curwensville Area School District is partnering with the Curwensville Borough, Curwensville Area Revitalization Entity and local businesses on this project.
In addition to donating the log section for the timeline display to the school district, Curwensville Borough has agreed to allow the display to be erected on the borough property at Irvin Park.
The Curwensville Revitalization Entity will assist with securing additional funding to provide solar lighting at the display site and other improvements to the display.
Russell Stone Products of Curwensville will donate a stone to use at the base of the display and Lezzer Lumber of Curwensville will donate a portion of the lumber materials needed for the project.
For more information on this project or to learn how you can help the students with the project or make a tax-deductible donation to the tree ring timeline display, please contact us at care@curwensville.com.
