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PRESS RELEASE star For Immediate Release DATE: November 14, 2002 CONTACTS: Sharon Blick, Project Coordinator, 683-4635 Mike Garling, Eastside Principal, 687-3303 Lorna Baldwin, Stream Team Coordinator, cell 913-1292 (Tuesday, November 19, only) EASTSIDE RESTORES AMAZON: The Beginning of a New ERA! Students at Eastside Elementary School will be getting dirty next week during class time as they plant wildflowers along Amazon Creek,just one block from their school. In cooperation with the City of Eug'ne Stream Team, Eastside school has adopted a section of public land at East Amazon and 39th Street in order to restore populations of locally native wildflowers and improve habitat for butterflies, bugs, birds, and other wildlife. In the process, students will have the opportunity to learn directly from nature and feel empowered by taking action on a local environmental problem. In this meadow, which currently contains mostly non-native grasses and weeds, the students will plant at least 170 wildflower plants of 10 locally native species. Each of the 144 students at Eastside will plant one plant, with parents and other volunteers planting the rest. The planting will occur on November 19 and 21 from 9:30-11:15, and on November 20 from 9:30-noon. Since Eastside shares a building with Parker School, the restored meadow can serve as an ecological field site within easy walking distance of both schools. "As school budgets get tighter, we can't even afford school buses for most field trips," said Parker- Eastside Principal Mike Garling. "Having this restored meadow so close saves us field trip money and time,plus it gives our teachers the flexibility to go out when the sun is shining." As an alternative school, Eastside has a long history of project-based education. "Our teachers know that students always learn more and remember longer when the learning involves doing, not just reading or listening," said Head Teacher Janice Gould.