Linear Park students give eco tour

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

As a freshman at Flagler Palm Coast High School, Sara Taylor fell into a bad routine.

She was skipping class and had failing grades.

This year, as a sophomore, Taylor enrolled in the Linear Park Learn and Serve program and has pulled her grades up to five A’s and two B’s.

“It made me open my eyes. I changed my mind about a lot of things,” Taylor said.

Taylor is one of 12 students in the alternative-learning program that focuses hands-on environmental learning for students who are struggling in traditional classrooms.

“We try to give back to the community by teaching other kids how to recycle and to do other things to help their environment,” Taylor said.

Students did that Tuesday, April 26, when they led their first eco tour of the year for fourth graders from Phoenix Academy.

Visiting students learned about five projects Linear Park students have been working on throughout the year: water quality, native plants, butterflies and moths, storm water runoff and recycling.

Teacher Trish Reonas has high hopes for the future of the program, which is in its second year.

“We would like to take it to the next level and reach the middle kid, that is doing OK in class, but would do better if learning hands-on,” Reonas said.

Reonas said she sees the “serve” part of the program as the most enriching aspect.

“When they start working with other kids, you can see that they really get a lot of joy from giving,” Reonas said. “When they are teaching, they really get that boost of self confidence.”