Some of you may have already seen LCI's announcement that we recently received a $2,000 grant through DHEC's "Champions of the Environment" program. The project funded is a joint venture between LCI and Whale Branch Middle School, and involves enhancing the habitat on the school's campus to attract native birds. We have already built and installed 24 nesting boxes with the students that they will observe this coming spring to track the breeding success of the inhabitants, and later this month we will install bird feeders to provide a supplemental food source for resident and migratory bird populations. In the spring, we will plant native plants that will provide food sources (berries and other fruits), nesting material, attract insects that adults can feed their young during the breeding season, and cover/protection for the birds. Not only will this project create an outdoor classroom for the kids to learn to observe and study birds, but it will be used as part of the STEM curriculum to improve their math and science skills.

Check out the commercial DHEC produced about our project that features WBMS students (it will air on local channels in Columbia and Charleston in the coming months) by clicking the link below.  (You may be prompted to download a video player).

 Our commercial!