NHCGov: January 2024 Updates

Happy New Year! 

We have been very busy planning for the Spring season, our busy season. Over the last few months we have gained two new employees!

One is Jessica Stitt, our new Program Coordinator. She is in charge of all the environmental education, outreach, and volunteer programming. She is a Wilmington native and a certified NC Environmental Educator. She has worked in places like the aquarium, museums, and parks. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge with the New Hanover County students. 

Another is our Soil and Water Intern, Elicia Rose-Ruffin. She recently graduated from UNCW with her master's in Environmental Studies. Elicia is passionate about educating the community about the environment. 

This month we have taught four first grade classes and six 8th grade classes about soil. We are continuing our Enviroscape presentations with 8th grade classes in New Hanover County. We continue to plan more school programs. 

                                                                                    

We are also accepting submissions for our Soil and Water Contest! This year's theme is the Living Soil. Third through 5th graders can submit a poster, while 6th-8th graders can either do an essay, PowerPoint, or a speech. The submissions for the local contest are due February 16th. They need to be emailed to jstitt@nhcgov.com

The date for the Coastal Envirothon is March 19th at the Cool Springs Environmental Education Center in Ernul, NC. If you know any students that would be interested in making a team the link is below! https://www.nccoastalenvirothon.org/

 Register your team here

We are also looking forward to the State Envirothon which is in April on the 26th and 27th in Burlington, NC. Follow this website to learn more and sign up your team! NC Envirothon Website

Rain Barrel Sales: Reminder of our monthly rain barrel sales! We are at the New Hanover County Arboretum on the second Thursday of the month and the Wilmington Farmer's Market at Tidal Creek the third Saturday of the month. Our next rain barrel sales are February 8th at the Arboretum from 9am-5pm and on February 17th at Tidal Creek from 8am-1pm.

                                           

Attention all business owners! Earth Day is in April this year. If you have a business that would like to support this event by donating a raffle prize, please contact Elicia for more information at eroseruffin@nhcgov.com or call our office at 910-798-7137 by February 20th. 

                                             

Also, do you have kids that like taking pictures of nature and the critters around you? You should show them https://ecoexplore.net/. They can create an account, earn points for pictures they took of nature, and win prizes! Their pictures also help scientists in North Carolina! This initiative was started by North Carolina Arboretum. Visit the website to learn more.