Kindergarten Class At The Albany Academies Prepares For Earth Day Project

ALBANY, NY (04/17/2008)(readMedia)-- The Kindergarten class at The Albany Academies, led by Faculty Member Kristy Mahar, will be planting a tree on school grounds on Earth Day 2008 using funds raised throughout the year from a refundable bottle/can drive.

The class has collected more than $275 since September towards the purchase of a tree from Maple Lane Nursery in Valatie to plant at the Academies, an incredible amount of money raised by the students. The class will plant the tree on Tuesday, April 22 at 1 p.m. on the West Campus (The Albany Academy building), located at 135 Academy Road in Albany. While the students plant the tree, they will be singing "What a Wonderful World."

Ms. Mahar designed the project at the Academies three years ago in an effort to teach her students about Earth Day and the importance of helping our environment. She also teaches a world unit in the spring of each school year; her students have been learning about diversity around the world, and ways in which they can help to make the world a better place.

The Kindergarten class raised $150 during the initial year of the project, and $260 last year. Each time bottles or cans are returned, Ms. Mahar completes a large addition problem with the students to total the amount of money raised.

The Albany Academies is home to the two campuses of The Albany Academy (West Campus) and Albany Academy for Girls (East Campus), which share a nearly 200-year-old tradition of outstanding single-gender independent school education. Both campuses bring with them deeply treasured values of community, tradition, and purpose to the newly formed school known as The Albany Academies.

The Albany Academies is committed to developing the potential of the whole individual by building a community that fosters scholarship, leadership, character, service and creativity.

-30-