Moultrie students learn hands on lesson through partnership with the Port

By: Octavia Mitchell | CountOn2.com
Published: March 28, 2012

Learning and helping the environment extends far beyond the classroom at Moultrie Middle School in Mount Pleasant, SC students have opportunities for hands on lessons as well. We head to Charleston county for our Cool School of the week.

News 2 tagged along with Moultrie students, as they collected oyster shells on James Island. They plan to build an oyster reef on the coast.

It's all a part of a partnership with the State Ports Authority. Science teacher Deborah Belflower says, "We're teaching the students about sustainability for the oysters and we're also teaching them how to recycle and give back to your community."

The port formed a partnership with Moultrie a few years ago. The maritime education program focuses on dredging and the Panama Canal expansion, water quality, oyster reef restoration, and air emissions reduction efforts. Jeannie Adame, environmental manager at the State Ports Authority says,"We try to teach the kids, not only what a port does, what the benefit of a port is, but the different ways we give back to the community through programs such as building these oyster reefs as well." Students discuss the topics in class, and are provided with hands on filed study opportunities as well. Sixth grade student Colin James says, "When I went to the port, it was pretty cool, because we got to see the cranes move and all the trucks coming in and out with the containers. It helps me because we're learning about how it can help the environment by filtering water, stopping erosion..creating places for small fish and crabs to live." Principal, Anna Dassing says, "The port is very supportive of Moultrie. The partnership is fabulous. It's a great opportunity to look at what's happening in the community, and have our students understand it and study it in real time."

This environmental partnership and Moutrie's many other outstanding attributes make Moultrie Middle a Cool School. Sixth grade student Sam Kavarana says, "I think Moultrie Middle School is a Cool School because of all the social fun events." Teacher Deborah Belflower says, "Moultrie Middle school is a cool school because of the teachers and the students. It's the whole community. The teachers are always looking for new ways and linking learning to the real world, and the kids they make it so easy to teach." Seventh grade student Hunter Johnson says, "The teachers are really supportive of all the students in what we do and how we accelerate academically." Social Studies teacher Robert Duckworth says, "it's truly as joy to get up every morning and come in to work. It's a great school. We have a great faculty, a great punch of kids, really supportive parents that make it wonderful to teach here."

Moultrie has received the Project Indigo State Environmental grant for several years, which also allows students to go out to conduct field study. On April 18th, students will build an oyster reef in Mount Pleasant.

In addition to the port, Moultrie has partnerships with East Cooper Medical Center and more than fifty other business partners.

For the past three years, the school received an excellent report card rating and Palmetto Gold awards. Coming up Friday on News 2 Today, we'll present Moultrie with our Cool School award.

We want to hear about the good things that are going on at your school. Send an email to Octavia at [email protected], and tell us all about it, maybe your school will be the next Cool School of the week.