Activism

Apple Valley Students Learn about the Red Panda and Get Active

If a crow were to fly the 7,400 miles from Sudbury, Massachusetts, US to Eastern Nepal, it would have to fly at top flight speeds of 25-30 mph for about a month. On this perilous journey, the crow would encounter unbelievable difficulties crossing oceans and mountains, bearing inclement weather, surviving predator attacks, and finding a proper diet along the way to sustain the exertion.

The crow may not be capable of making this distance a reality, but a group of students at the Apple Valley Montessori School in Sudbury made the trip in no time flat. While they didn’t trek to Nepal field-trip-style, they made the journey in their hearts.

This year, the 5-8-year-olds in Celina Philips’ class have been learning about the red panda, training to be Red Panda Rangers, and raising money to help protect this animal. Teaching the subjects of ecosystems and conservation, Ms. Philips found a ready group of activists within her classroom. Rummaging up old books from their shelves and friends’ shelves, the 15 students held a book and apple crisp sale in the school lobby. Proudly, they exchanged old copies of The Cat-in-the-Hat and Goodnight Moon for a cool $255 dollars to support red panda conservation. Thank you, Ms. Philips’ class!

On a related note, several of the students have completed the Red Panda Ranger program, proving themselves genuinely committed to red panda conservation.

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For Whom We are Grateful

It may be simple enough. We print the names of individuals and organizations who have donated to the dream of red panda conservation. And there it is – a long list of names.

At The Red Panda Project we feel strongly about this list. As such, we’d like to briefly explain what this list means to us. Each name mentioned below has invested in hope. They have been selfless and kind with their earnings so that a remote ecosystem, one which many will never see in person, has a chance to make it through this era of unsustainable human development. Please take a minute to read through the names to help us acknowledge each entry.

The following names are of those who have donated to the mission of The Red Panda Project from January-March 2007:

AAZK-Nashville Chapter (Stephanie Greene) Alexis Yeap Alison Dayani Amanda Rosenberg Amy Hulsey Barbara Jones Benjamin Smith cafepress.com Caren Bernstein Carla J. Kant Celina Phillips Christian Kryder Christine Rachwal Christopher Papasian Disposal Management Elizabeth Kobayashi Erika Deoudes Heather Stephens James & Nancy Williams Janet Palmieri

Jill Byassee Jim Boeckman Julia L. Young Lindsay Newlin Marjorie & Cary Fulbright Mark Lies Meredith Houser Neal Gorenflo Nicole Greeley Patrick Benson Paula Grimestad Robert & Judith Fenerty Ron Hermansen San Diego Zoo Sara Angusti Stephanie Brinkop Stephen Kay Susan Ibarguen Wendee Coons

Newsletter written by Nathan Hale

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