Schools take the classroom outside

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - At least 500 schools across the nation took the classroom outdoors today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

Students from Independence Middle School in Virginia Beach put down their books and picked up some paddles into the narrows of the Lynnhaven River at Seashore State Park.

Outdoor Educator Brooke Newton is working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to teach kids about a precious but threatened resource in their community--the Lynnhaven Watershed and Chesapeake Bay.

"Save the bay. So obviously if we're saving something it's got some problems," said Newton. "The report card grade of the Chesapeake Bay...anybody want to guess what it might be? It is a "D".

"We've seen a big difference," said Outdoor Educator Rob Dorbad. "The clarity of the water has gotten a lot better and we're also seeing a lot more life"

Realizing the value of this resource is only part of the lesson though. Discovering what hurts the bay and how to reduce pollutants entering this ecosystem is the real objective of this class.

"Without them we'd be missing a big part of nature," said one student.