When school resumes after Heritage Week, SPMA will be in full swing to celebrate Earth Day on Thursday, April 22nd. Here is the line-up of events:

Monday, April 19th

• School resumes after Heritage Week/Spring Break

Tuesday, April 20th

• Collaborative Earth Day Dinner on Friday, April 23rd Reservations due: $5 per person
• Community Meeting at 6:30 pm: Upon arrival, visit your child’s room where teachers will present, from 6:30 to 7pm, current eco-friendly classroom initiatives. At 7pm the Environmental Committee will share information about the EcoSchool Certification process that is underway, the new Kitchen Garden (photos), and the upcoming Rain Garden!
• Kitchen Garden Fundraiser: A representative from Karma Balm will be on hand taking orders for several groovy eco-friendly balms and chapstick for $7 each. 50% of the sales will be returned to the SPMA Environmental Committee to raise funds to help maintain the kitchen garden and 1% goes to our planet’s charities. Bring some money for a good cause! Payment due when order is placed, not when delivered.

Wednesday, April 21st

• Prepare site for Rain Garden (blog) installation at 3:30 pm. Volunteers needed!

Thursday, April 22nd – Earth Day!

• SPMA will hold its first annual “The Art of Conservation” celebration starting at 8:00 am to kick off SPMA’s road to an Eco-School Certification instituted by the National Wildlife Federation. Throughout the day speakers from local museums, businesses and organizations will present how their groups model conservation of the island’s natural resources. The organizations include familiar local groups (Coastal Discovery Museum, Sea Pines Forest Preserve, Farmer’s Market of Bluffton, The Greenery) as well as internationally known enterprises (Starbucks and David Sklar’s Star Island Resort & Spa). Students will present the visiting speakers with artwork representing their organization’s conservation effort.
• Starting at 8:30 am the SPMA Middle School students will install a Rain Garden in front of the school in collaboration with SPMA’s Environmental Committee, the Hilton Head Island Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class of 2010, and Kathleen Edwards of Sustainable Design Consultants. Volunteers needed!
• SPMA will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their Garden to Lunchbox @ SPMA Initiative headed by Jeff Ross, master gardener for Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.  The Middle School students planted a kitchen garden with a variety of herbs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables using heirloom seeds and organic gardening techniques.

Friday, April 23rd

• Collaborative Earth Day Dinner at 6:30 pm: featuring handmade pizzas with fresh dough and local produce from Bluffton Farmer’s Market and garden salads with local produce from the Market, exclusive screening of No Impact Man for families, showing of The Lorax for younger children, meal will be enjoyed outside on back porches, children can play on playground until dusk, public is invited, reservations $5 per person by Tuesday, April 20th, send money to front office or call 785-2534
• Kitchen Garden Fundraiser: A representative from the Environmental Committee will be on hand taking orders for several groovy eco-friendly balms and chapstick for $7 each. 50% of the sales will be returned to the SPMA Environmental Committee to raise funds to help maintain the kitchen garden and 1% goes to our planet’s charities. Bring some money for a good cause! Payment due when order is placed, not when delivered.