Area Fourth Grade Students Attend Annual Earth Stewardship Day at Illinois State Fairgrounds

SPRINGFIELD - More than 700 fourth grade students converged on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield today, for the 27th Annual Earth Stewardship Day.

The students visited 29 interactive attractions and presentations focusing on the importance of protecting, restoring, recycling and reusing natural resources. Thirty-two classes from 10 different schools in Sangamon County were represented.

The event is hosted and jointly sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Departments of Agriculture and Transportation and the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

"Each year, Earth Stewardship Day provides remarkable learning opportunities to some of our youngest environmental stewards," said Illinois EPA Director Alec Messina.  "We are grateful for all the organizations that are here sharing their expertise with these students through fun and exciting presentations."

"Earth Stewardship Day teaches the next generation conservation practices and preservation techniques through fun, hands-on educational activities," said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Raymond Poe. "It is our hope that by introducing these ideas to school-age kids, we are providing these young environmental stewards with the tools needed to make the educated decisions that will protect our state's valuable natural resources for generations to come."

The Earth Stewardship Day celebration is offered for free to schools located in Sangamon County, and it is open to the first 900 students whose schools registered, depending on the number of presenters, with preference given to those schools that have not attended in the past year. More information can be found at http://www.epa.illinois.gov/topics/education/earth-stewardship-day/index.

The schools participating in today's event are Christ the King School, New Berlin Elementary School, Owen Marsh Elementary School, Riverton Elementary School, Rochester Intermediate School, Sandburg Elementary School, Sherman Elementary School, Springfield Ball Charter School, St. Agnes Catholic School, and Tri-City Elementary School.

Each Earth Stewardship Day station offers students something new to learn. Stations and presenting organizations are:

• Environmental Jeopardy - Illinois EPA
• Biodiversity of Illinois - Traveling Science Center - Illinois Natural History Survey
• Stream Table - IDOA
• Minerals & Rocks in Illinois - IDNR - Office of Mines & Minerals
• IL Bats: Insect Eating Machines - The Bat Doctor
• Planting Seeds for the Future - Stone Seed/IDOA
• Water Conservation, CWLP - Energy Services Office
• Recycle Dash - Illinois EPA
• Coyotes, Competition & Carrying Capacity - Lincoln Memorial Garden
• Bird Banding - Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders
• Tall Tree Tales - Fox Tales International
• Vermicomposting - Master Gardener, Ann Pictor & Barb Thompson
• "Upcycling": Creative Reuse - City of Springfield-Office of Public Works
• Monarch Butterfly Conservation Efforts - Monsanto - Illiopolis
• Energy Efficiency and the Smart Grid - Elevate Energy, Citizen's Utility Board, Faith in Place
• What's the Buzz:  Beekeeping 101 - Prairie State Beekeepers
• Pollution Solutions - Auburn High School Science Club
• Keeping Your Water Clean - Illinois EPA
• Illinois Mussels - Illinois State Museum
• Water Treatment and Testing - Illinois American Water Company
• Use and Care for our Natural Resources - IDNR-Office of Law Enforcement
• Global Warming - Save the Polar Bears - Grant Middle School, IMSA
• Don't Be a Punk, Recycle Your Junk - Illinois EPA
• Trash That Lasts - Environmental and Energy Stewardship
• Macroinvertebrate Mayhem - Indicators of Aquatic Health - Illinois EPA
• Aquatic Conversation, Stewardship and Food Webs! - IDNR
• Just a Little About Honeybees - Acbees Apaiaries
• Get the Ground Water Picture - Illinois State Water Survey at the Prairie Research Institute
• Toxic Relay - Illinois EPA