Owls have 120 young new enthusiasts

Here is a stack of thank you letters and drawings made by 120 4th graders from an elementary school in southern California.  Their teachers delivered the students’ letters to the Cavity Conservation Initiative in appreciation for the owl program we provided for them a couple of weeks ago.   The “we” refers to a collective effort of volunteers from the Southern California Bluebird Club (SCBC) and both the Laguna Hills and Sea and Sage Audubon Society.  The latter provided their entire inventory of taxidermy owls for the program!  That’s because three large tables of  fun games and “touchables” followed an entertaining slide show.

Oh how I wish we could spread all the students’ letters out for the world to see!  In fact the third photo shows I did try, but the logistics of all those  sheets of paper on a clothes line in front of my home were beyond my capabilities.  I managed to hang only those of one class.  But why did I go to the trouble? It just seemed a waste to confine them in silence  to my desk drawer.

They bring pure delight!  They are snap shots of what each child found memorable.  They reflect joy and fascination.  A desire to learn more.  A spark of inspiration.  Every single one is a flicker of hope not only for the protection of owls, but for a greater appreciation of the wonders of the natural world.

Among the SCBC’s volunteers engaging the kids was nineteen year-old Sara Miller.  Sara is a  nest box monitor with four years experience and a passion for nature.  You can see her here with her mom, Cherri.  At a very young age Sara’s interest was inspired by her devoted, nature-loving mom.  We wanted Sara with us for this program in the hope that some of the 4th graders who spoke with her would one day want to be “a Sara.”

What did Sara have to say about the experience? “It was so great seeing so many kids willing and wanting to learn. I loved their questions and their involvement. It was also great to see that younger kids are still interested in nature and not just in games on their tablets or computers.”

The students’ letters suggest that Sara and all the volunteers left a lasting impression!