Port Lavaca- Calhoun County Independent School District (CCISD) has received $35,000 from The Dow Chemical Company Foundation to create a community recycling and environmental education facility to be named “The Dow Sustainability Center of Calhoun County.”
The contribution from Dow is being made in honor of the International Year of Chemistry, a United Nations initiative of which Dow is a major sponsor.
“Every day, chemistry helps us solve world-wide issues in areas such as medicine, food, clean drinking water and energy,” said Dow Seadrift Operations Site Leader Brad Fedorchak. “We also see it being used locally through initiatives like recycling and that’s why we are so pleased to be partnering with Calhoun County ISD and Partners in Education to bring this new facility to our schools and community.“
The Dow Sustainability Center of Calhoun County will be located on Ash Street, behind HJM Elementary, near the Victoria College – Calhoun Center campus and will be used by both CCISD and the community. Plans are underway to install a 10-bin recycling trailer for newspaper, cans, plastic and more. Educational exhibits and hands-on activities are also being developed to enhance student and community knowledge about local industries and how their products are used in our everyday lives.
Fedorchak says the project was a natural fit with Dow’s efforts to include the community in the company’s commitment to long-term resource management and a healthy environment.
“We believe that, in partnership with our schools and our neighborhoods, we have the opportunity to make our communities even better places to live and work by making it easier for students and families to recycle,” said Fedorchak. “As people learn about the benefits of recycling, I’m sure it will grow and make our communities more sustainable now, and in the future.”
CCISD Science Coordinator Robin Sonsel says having access to these kinds of resources will enhance learning by providing students with real-life activities to reinforce classroom learning.
“Our students can take educational field trips to learn about and participate in recycling. The community can also recycle their household items at the trailer, leading to more environmentally-aware citizens,” said CCISD Science Coordinator Robin Sonsel.
Sonsel also stated that in addition to the trailer, an indoor display area is also being planned in one of the nearby classrooms. “The displays will enable students and our community to see what our local chemical plants produce. The raw matter, to the finished product, to the recycling bin and then how the process starts over is what will be on display,” explained Sonsel. “Students and those in the community will understand the process when we can show them the cycle of the recycled product,” he added.
The Dow Sustainability Center will also include partnerships with the City of Port Lavaca, Calhoun County, Keep Calhoun County Beautiful, CCISD, ALCOA and Formosa, and many others.
“This will be everyone’s facility and we are proud to provide this contribution to get it started,” said Fedorchak. “I am looking forward to seeing it put to good use by our students, schools and community members.”
The Center is expected to open in time for the start of the 2011-2012 school year.
