Introducing The Nature Club
August 3, 2017 Kolkata, India
Off the main road and down narrow city streets is nestled a little piece of paradise: Garden High School. It is set on about an acre of land, tall buildings surrounding a grassy courtyard that is alive with plants, birds, and butterflies.
After school, few students and teachers remain on the grounds, but on the 4th floor, a select group of students eagerly awaits the beginning of the first ever Nature Club! The Nature Club is a spin off of the Green Rhinos for students who have less time to commit to, but no less passion for the environment. It is meant to cultivate a sense of wonder by introducing students to different nature activities. The Nature Club’s members range in age, but they have all decided to dedicate one hour after school twice per month to being a nature learner.
The first meeting of the Nature Club began with a lecture about birding by Kushal Moohkerjee. Throughout the talk, students were engaged, answering tough questions and asking even harder ones! I was pleasantly surprised by the students’ depth of observation and their thirst for knowledge.
After the talk, the plan was to go outside and bird watch. A downpour, however, delayed that idea. Even still, spirits were not dampened. Students were excited for the next Nature Club meeting so they could get a chance to go birding! They were also enthused to hear of the other activities, such as butterfly monitoring and community clean ups, that were on the horizon, as well as immersive weekend trips out of the city and into nature! With the passion and excitement that the students brought, I can tell the Nature Club has a bright future at Garden High School!
