Pungo Christian brings business to Earth Day event

Published 6:38 pm Thursday, April 28, 2016

CAROLINE HUDSON | DAILY NEWS LIFE OF A SEED: Janis Deitrick shows some of the students an example of a germinating seed.

CAROLINE HUDSON | DAILY NEWS
LIFE OF A SEED: Janis Deitrick shows some of the students an example of a germinating seed.

BELHAVEN — Pungo Christian Academy students celebrated Earth Day a little late this year, but for them, it’s better late than never.

Students rotated between classrooms Thursday to hear from several visitors about how they interact with the environment around them. Among the topics were: sustainability efforts, beekeeping, rocks, seed germination and greenhouse plants.

Kindergartners through fifth-graders rotated between the rooms in 20-minute increments.

CHECKING IT OUT: A group of kindergartners checks out some of the plastic products that can be made from Domtar’s product waste.

CHECKING IT OUT: A group of kindergartners checks out some of the plastic products that can be made from Domtar’s product waste.

The school holds an Earth Day celebration every year, but this one was pushed back due to testing, according to Joy Jarvis, who coordinated the event.

Among the presenters, Domtar, a paper and personal care products company with a location in Plymouth, had two representatives at Pungo Christian to discuss its environmental sustainability efforts.

Angela McLawhorn and Wells Jarvis showed the students how the company takes leftover plastic from its incontinence products to recycle into plastic bins or toys.

McLawhorn said Domtar employees try to participate in activities in the surrounding area to maintain its goal of being community-centered, and part of that goal includes taking care of the environment and recycling.

The company estimates that only 3 percent of its waste goes into a landfill, McLawhorn said.

AMATEUR BEEKEEPERS: Colin Cahoon and Rylan Bowie try out beekeeping uniforms and equipment at Pungo Christian Academy’s Earth Day celebration.

AMATEUR BEEKEEPERS: Colin Cahoon and Rylan Bowie try out beekeeping uniforms and equipment at Pungo Christian Academy’s Earth Day celebration.

In the next room, Holli Williamson, of PCS Phosphate, explained how phosphate is used in fertilizers for food production, as well as some of the ways the company keeps its business environmentally sustainable.

She said the students seemed interested in her presentation, and they were also able to discuss Nutrients for Life, which provides education for schools on the benefits of fertilizer.

“They were really excited,” Williamson said of the students.

Other visitors included: Todd Parrish, who discussed how beekeeping works; Kaye Lee and Kelly Brady, who taught the students about rocks; Gene Fox, a Cooperative Extension agent, who spoke about germination; and an employee with Petals and Produce, who discussed growing in a greenhouse setting.

Jarvis said the event came together well this year, and students were able to learn about many aspects of their environment and how it relates to them.

GROWING GREEN: Pungo Christian Academy students learn how plants grow inside the school’s Growing Green greenhouse, in memory of the late Reid Sasnett.

GROWING GREEN: Pungo Christian Academy students learn how plants grow inside the school’s Growing Green greenhouse, in memory of the late Reid Sasnett.