Teachers go to Molloy to learn

Science teachers from South Side High School recently participated in the fourth annual National Grid Foundation Teaching Green Institute at Molloy College, learning a variety of sustainability concepts they can now share in their classrooms. Pictured from left were Neal Lewis, executive director of the Sustainability Institute at Molloy; Dr. Maureen Walsh, dean, Division of Education; Lou Cino, dean, Division of Continuing Education and Professional Development; SSHS teachers Christine Falciano, Karen LaPorte, Joseph Saccone, Jennifer Sullivan, and Jason VanEron; and Bob Catell, board member of the National Grid Foundation.

Courtesy Molloy College

For the fourth consecutive summer, Long Island high school and middle school teachers took to the classroom as students in an innovative program presented by Molloy College, the National Grid Foundation Teaching Green Institute.

The program is designed to train teachers in environmental issues and to provide suggestions on incorporating environmentally-focused curricula into their classrooms. A grant from National Grid Foundation provided scholarships for all of the 48 registrants. More than 125 teachers have participated in teaching green institutes to date, many of whom work in underserved school districts.

“Given the importance of STEM education and the burgeoning green energy industry, it is critical that today’s teachers be prepared to teach sustainability concepts and practices to their students to prepare them for future career opportunities and to create a new generation of environmental stewards,” said Dr. Drew Bogner, president of Molloy College. “We are pleased to have partnered, once again, with the National Grid Foundation on such an important project.”

As a direct result of prior years’ participation in this program, teachers have successfully integrated new sustainability information and activities into course content such as discussion of renewable energy and alternative fuel sources, global warming, genetic engineering, pesticides and chemicals in the water supply. Middle school students were excited to learn how to construct solar-powered water heaters and bottle rockets. High school students are now calculating their individual carbon footprints and instituting comprehensive school recycling programs. This year, the teachers plan to introduce solar powered cell phone chargers and wind turbines to the hands-on activities in the classroom.