Detroit, MI – January 15, 2014 – The Captain Planet Foundation, an international environmental education foundation for youth based on the successful Captain Planet cartoon, is proud to announce that Detroit Waldorf School has recently been awarded an educational grant of $500. Detroit Waldorf School will use these funds to establish an urban wetlands study habitat to support its new middle school Environmental Science and Sustainability Curriculum.
“We are thrilled to present this award to Detroit Waldorf School,” says Leesa Carter, Executive Director of the Foundation. “We receive hundreds of submissions each year and have to be very selective to whom we award funding. This is one of the few projects from across the country that we chose to fund. We wish Detroit Waldorf School great success as they work to implement this important project. It is our hope that our combined efforts will educate, empower, involve and invest today’s youth to cultivate a better tomorrow.”
Candyce Sweda, Detroit Waldorf School Resource Teacher, directed the development of the school’s new middle school Environmental Science and Sustainability Curriculum, which launched this year. She says, “The wetlands project brings together core curriculum content while empowering students to identify and solve local environmental problems.” Dianna Guldi, the school’s 8th Grade Teacher, added, “The students will study our site, identify suitable indigenous flora and fauna, participate in the design process and help to build the wetland in coordination with other youth and adult volunteers from Detroit Community Schools.”
Project Description
The urban wetlands project is a service learning component of the schools’ new Environmental Awareness and Sustainability Curriculum. It will enable students to learn how rain and surface water runoff can be beautifully collected in an urban rain garden to reduce the demand on sewer treatment systems. Students will better understand the natural habitat upon which the Indian Village neighborhood was built and how natural systems—such as a wetlands ecosystem—can be used to solve a local environmental problem. The project not only develops students’ core science knowledge, but also supports Waldorf educational goals to have students become science practitioners inspired to solve environmental problems out of a love of and respect for the natural environment.
About Detroit Waldorf School
Founded in 1966, the Detroit Waldorf School is part of the international Waldorf School movement, which comprises over 1,000 schools in more than 60 countries. DWS is located in Historic Indian Village and housed in a centennial historic structure designed by Albert Kahn. Situated on four acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, the school provides a warm and inviting environment that nurtures growth, learning, and creativity by focusing on each student’s intellectual, physical, and emotional development. DWS offers enrollment in PreK through 8th Grade. Its interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes analytical, creative, and critical thinking, and cultivates children’s inherent curiosity and love of learning. Detroit Waldorf School is located at 2555 Burns Street, Detroit, MI 48214. For more information, call 313-822-0300 or visit www.detroitwaldorf.org.
About The Captain Planet Foundation
Founded in 1991, CPF was created to support hands-on, environmental projects for youth. CPF’s objective is to encourage innovative projects that empower today’s children to become environmental stewards. For more information, visit www.captainplanetfdn.org. The Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) is located at 133 Luckie Street NW in Atlanta, Georgia. It can be reached by phone at (404) 522-4270.
