Nature trail effort enhances community: Georgia: White County School System.

A program to develop a nature trail for the use of students and the community has led to the naming of White County School System in Cleveland, Ga., as the state's 2005 recipient of the Civic Star Award.

The program included three major projects that followed the purchase of a wooded piece of land by the White County Board of Education in the late 1990s for the building of White County Intermediate School. The property included a beautiful mountainous landscape and ecologically diverse environments including a creek and many plant and animal species.

In January 2001, the board applied for and ultimately received a Georgia Recreational Trails Program grant for developing an interpretive trail system encircling the school. The goal of developing a trail was to provide the school system and community with educational and physical fitness opportunities.

The three major projects undertaken by the schools and community included the restoration of grave sites on the property, creation of a butterfly garden and the development of an interpretive trail. The trail is called the Tesnatee Valley Nature Trail.

Southeastern Archeological Services verified that two graves, those of a doctor and his son, were located on the property. Board members discussed moving the graves to a nearby church cemetery, but a teacher and local historians asked that they be left on the property to provide students with a unique learning opportunity. The graves were retained, and in September 2001, four fourth-grade teachers at the school were awarded a grant through Georgia Learn and Serve to begin the restoration and preservation of the grave sites. The project involved fourth-grade students, teachers and community volunteers.

Students and teachers researched the individuals buried on the property. They communicated with various agencies, including the Georgia Department of Human Resources, the White County Historical Society and family members of the deceased. A local funeral director served as a resource person for the students. Students' parents and community members helped with planning and cleanup.

Over the next two years, many hours were spent purchasing materials, assembling benches, designing iron fences and sorting and restacking rocks on the grave. Students, having progressed through various steps in the process with a sense of pride and accomplishment, made presentations to civic clubs about their project. They also began work on a brochure expected to be distributed in White County through the historical society.

The butterfly garden project was undertaken by two fifth-grade classes, which designed and developed the garden during the 2001-2002 school year. Master gardeners helped with the garden's design to allow for future expansion. Students worked together in measuring and laying out the garden, researching butterflies, preparing for making a butterfly quilt, arranging for materials, participating in a weekend work day, spreading dirt and wood chips, developing slides for a PowerPoint presentation and planning an opening celebration.

Funding for the project came from a grant from the League of Professional Schools and $2,000 contributed by community members. During the 2002-2003 school year, volunteers performed continuous maintenance. An arbor, two dogwood trees and additional plants were added.

The third major project was initiated in the fall of 2002, when a fourth-grade teacher began planning the development of an interpretive trail and another grant from the League of Professional Schools was secured. During the planning phase, a concrete path was poured so the trail would be accessible by the handicapped. A wood chip path that looped off the concrete path and back was also added. The paths were financed by the grant from the Georgia Recreational Trails Program.

In the spring of 2003, seven information stations were set up along the completed portion of the trail to display information researched and written by students about what can be seen at each location. For each station, fourth and fifth graders also developed activities. The activities, with the necessary materials, are stored in backpacks in the school's media center, where teachers may check them out for student use.

The nature trail program has enhanced the school curriculum for students and teachers, has increased community spirit and involvement and has provided a regional asset. Work on the projects will continue as students, teachers and members of the community work to maintain and expand them in the future.

For more information, contact Superintendent Paul Shaw at White County School System, 113 N. Brooks St., Cleveland, Ga. 30528, or call [phone]. By e-mail, write to [e-mail].