Kids are buzzing with back to school vibes and pollinators in the Rogue Valley are buzzing to gather nectar to prepare for overwintering. Pollinator Project Rogue Valley (PPRV) is excited to head into another school season full of learning and enrichment! PPRV’s Pollinator Pals program works with students and young people throughout the Rogue Valley to help connect them with the native plants and pollinators in the Southern Oregon Bioregion. Pollinator Pals continues to develop engaging hands-on lessons and activities developed for Oregon Science Standards. Focused on the local ecology and conservation, lesson plans support a variety of settings – from the classroom to after-school or weekend adventures with a group. Pollinator Pals engaged with students at Phoenix Elementary School several times over the 2023-2024 school year. Zoey Boyles, 4th grade teacher at Phoenix Elementary, said, “I thought it was great! The program brought an engaging topic and questions, and fun activities.” Local schools or educators are encouraged to reach out to PPRV and invite Pollinator Pals to your classroom, event, workshop or club!
The Pollinator Pals team is led by Ethan Robison, PPRV’s Pollinator Pals Education Coordinator, along with an Education Committee composed of experienced educators and community members who bring their passion for knowledge and diverse experiences to the program. Their goal is to spark interest and passion in youth to learn more about our local native plants and pollinators and to inspire our community to be caretakers and changemakers for our local ecosystems.
Over the past 12 months, Pollinator Pals has engaged 1,100 youth in 27 lessons at 16 different schools, from Grants Pass to Ashland. They participated in 36 community events, including the annual Talent Harvest Festival, UNETE’s Dia de los Muertos Celebration, and four Earth Day Celebrations; created a pollination module for the annual Bear Creek Salmon Watch; and presented at the Oregon Farm to School Conference in Corvallis.
The 2024-2025 school year brings new and exciting opportunities to engage with the community, including a partnership with Rogue Valley Farm to School to help bring native pollinator gardens and related education to several Phoenix-Talent Schools, running several educational programs with The Crest at Willow Witt, and offering more programs through the Jackson County Libraries. Kristina Lefever, volunteer president, shared, “It is amazing how much this program has accomplished this year. The knowledge and enthusiasm of our team – Ethan, with our wonderful Education Committee and volunteers – really make it easy for young people to get engaged and excited about these tiny creatures that are so important for our local ecosystems and food systems.”
The Pollinator Pals program is supported by a number of partner foundations: the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation, Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District, The Leiter Foundation, The Healy Foundation, The Roundhouse Foundation, Gray Family Foundation, and The Carpenter Foundation.
To inquire about the Pollinator Pals program or how to be involved, contact Ethan at ethan.pprv@gmail.com. If you own a business and would like to sponsor Pollinator Pals, or any PPRV program, please reach out to Kristina Lefever at kristina@pollinatorprojectroguevalley.org.
ABOUT POLLINATOR PROJECT ROGUE VALLEY
Pollinator Project Rogue Valley is a volunteer-led Oregon-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, envisioning communities and landscapes working together, supporting diverse ecosystems rich with native plants and thriving native pollinators. PPRV is a growing grassroots organization serving the mostly urban communities of the Rogue Valley. PPRV, through its educational center, propagation nursery and demonstration garden located in the heart of Phoenix, is the only local organization focused on educating and engaging the community about all of our diverse native pollinator species, making the direct connection to our native plant species and their value within and for the local ecosystems. PPRV offers many other programs, educational tools, and volunteer opportunities to individuals and businesses within the Rogue Valley. For additional information, to become involved, or make a tax-deductible donation to support this work, please visit www.pollinatorprojectroguevalley.org.
Writing and photos provided by Pollinator Project Rogue Valley.