Fort Cavazos educates 700 Central Texas students at Cove Eco Harvest

COPPERAS COVE, Texas - A long line of yellow school buses rolled on Oct. 4 into the Copperas Cove City Park here, their doors swinging open as 700 third graders buzzed with excitement.

Copperas Cove students and teachers kicked off their day at the 14th installment of Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful's Eco Harvest by learning more about community and environmental stewardship.

"There was a good variety of interesting presenters for the kids - fire and police department, ecologically aware presentations about pollution and the importance of native plants and fun hands-on activities for kids like the seed balls," said Alyssa Dees, a third-grade teacher for Clements/Parsons Elementary School. "Giving kids hands-on experience and exposure to information from different sources is essential to educating kids. They need real in-person lessons to learn and be engaged, too, not just books and videos."

The all-day event featured vehicle displays from the city of Copperas Cove, a singing zoologist and more than 20 presentations from area organizations and neighboring municipalities. Since the inception of Eco Harvest in 2010, the Fort Cavazos Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division has supported the environmental education event.

"For over a decade, our partnership with Fort Cavazos has fostered positive changes among our youth and throughout the community," Roxanne Flores, executive director of Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful, said. "The success of Eco Harvest is a testament to the support of our good neighbors from Fort Cavazos, Harker Heights, Killeen and many others who come together to celebrate the environment and make meaningful impacts."

Jalen Hines, a sophomore at Harker Heights High School, volunteered alongside Fort Cavazos recycle and environmental staff. He showcased recycled and repurposed items, including glass suncatchers, a solar panel charger, paper bowls, bamboo plates and paper made of elephant poop; promoted conservation in support of Energy Action Month; and challenged students to a hula hoop ring toss to capture a plastic military target.

"As a high school student, it feels incredibly fulfilling and rewarding to be able to have a positive impact on younger students and inspire them to be good stewards of the environment," Hines said. "Knowing that I am helping to shape their understanding and appreciation for the natural world is a great feeling."

Sunny Wood, an archaeologist with Fort Cavazos DPW, used artifacts from Fort Cavazos for a hands-on show-and-tell to encourage students to think about what the past was like.

"Events like Eco Harvest are an important part of Fort Cavazos' Cultural Resource Program because it allows us to teach and introduce a new generation of kids to concepts like historic preservation and archaeology," Wood said.

At another presentation, Dan Gomez, an environmental protection specialist with Fort Cavazos DPW, used a watershed model to explain how different pollutants like petroleum, oils and fertilizers can impact the environment, fish and organisms. He encouraged students to make local impacts and help keep the pond at the Copperas Cove City Park and Belton Lake clean.

"Doing your part and taking action is simple," Gomez said. "If you see litter, pick it up before it reaches our waterways. Every small effort adds up and makes a difference.

"You can and should be members of the clean water team at your school by helping us to keep Belton Lake clean, since it is the water source we share," he said to the students. "If you spot litter or recyclables, do your part to place the items in the right containers so that they don't end up our waterways."

Amalie Fernandez-Lopez, a third-grader from Williams Ledger Elementary, expressed her joy about her experience during the event.

"I am so excited about what we learned and how we can help the environment by recycling and keeping our creeks cleaned," she said.

Fort Cavazos DPW staff from the Clean Water Team, Natural and Cultural Resources Management Branch, Adaptive and Integrative Management Team, Pollution Prevention Services and Fort Cavazos Recycle, along with a volunteer from the Central Texas Master Naturalist chapter, showcased a variety of educational presentations. From handmade clay marbles from the 1800s, mussels and deer skulls to a watershed display and collection of insect specimens, students gained insight from a spectrum of environmental topics.

"It's important for our students to be able to come to this event to get out of the classroom, learn in a different environment and take home what they learn to their families," said Heather Brock, a third grader teacher for Williams Ledger Elementary. "Not only can the children learn how to recycle and how to treat our environment, but they can pass that onto their parents and our community."

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