Each year, one or two busloads of Neuqua Valley High School's environmental education students head for Treehaven in northern Wisconsin for four days and three nights of field studies.
Funded in part by the Foundation on two occasions, these excursions enable the students to learn about bogs, streams, hardwood forests and our galaxy, as well as a lot about themselves and each other. Rain or shine, their days are spent hiking and studying flora and fauna, as well as eating tasty cafeteria-style meals and sleeping in dormitories owned by the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point.
Then, before boarding the buses back to Naperville, the students' first priority is passing the outdoor lab test prepared by their Neuqua Valley instructors/chaperones. This test requires walking from lab station to lab station - at least 50 in all - and identifying, with the so-called help of their field notes, a wide variety of trees, shrubs and bog or woodland plants, or their leaves, berries, flowers or needles. Time allowed: one minute at each station.
Science Lecture Series
Although currently inactive, this series of evening lectures was one of the Foundation's inaugural programs. Free of charge and open to the public, the lecture series was created to bring scientists and other authorities to District 204 to talk about interesting topics related to their fields of study.
Science Screen Report
Donated to District 204 by the Amoco Foundation for several years,
Science Screen Report videotapes cover a wide range of scientific disciplines, including biology, physics, oceanography, engineering and space science. Available as two different series of videos - one targeting Kids (elementary grades) and the other the upper grades (6-12), both are designed to stir the interest of students in science and technology.
Produced annually by Allegro Productions in cooperation with the National Science Teachers Association and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, one or both of the video series also have been donated by the IPEF, Caterpillar, Lucent, Nicor, and Cabot Technologies.
World War II Reenactment and USO Dance
Sponsored by the Foundation in 1997, this unique leaning experience consisted of World War II reenactment activities, a military encampment, and a USO Dance at Waubonsie Valley High School.
Realistic role playing by reenactment professionals provided history and social studies students with memorable classroom learning opportunities. An encampment provided the entire community with a look back at World War II uniforms and other memorabilia. A live radio interview offered a few participants a new experience. And the USO Dance provided musicians and vocalists with a chance to perform Big Band and WWII-era songs - which brought back many memories to five generations of listeners and dancers.
