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Middle School Visits Yawkey Wildlife Center

IMG_3871Thursday, March 13, was cold and clear, perfect for a day trip to the nearby Yawkey Wildlife Center.  Dr. Neubauer, Mrs. Crosby and Mrs. Sweitzer drove the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students to the end of South Island Road, where they met D.N.R. agent Jim Lee to take the boat over to Cat and South Island.  There was a lot of wind and the ride was pretty exciting.

The group then boarded a bus and had a look around Cat Island.  They spotted some turkey vultures and several alligators.  Grayson and Wilfredo were convinced that one alligator was chasing them as they were running down a trail.  “I heard it plop in the water when we went by, so we just started to run faster!” Wilfredo said.  The group stopped to view North Island and the lighthouse from across the creek.  Jim Lee told them that Mr. Yawkey’s preference was to keep visitors away from North Island in order to preserve its pristine nature.  The lighthouse, one of the oldest left on the East Coast, worked until someone came and stole the light.

IMG_3846Back at Mr. Yawkey’s game room, the students really enjoyed looking at the “dead animals,” including an elk and a beaver, and Mr. Yawkey’s memorabilia.  Grayson explained, “Mr. Yawkey owned the Red Sox and he had lots of stuff.  There was a World Series ticket that only cost $6.  It was pretty cool.”  The kids were very positive about this field trip.  Thanks to to Jim Lee and Dr. Michelle Neubauer for arranging it.

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Yawkey Wildlife Center Welcomes TGS High Schoolers

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Jim Lee of D. N. R. was our guide for a day of exploration on Cat and South Islands, home of the Yawkey Wildlife Center.  The high school students, along with Dr. Gates and Dr. Razzi, took the ferry across the Intracoastal Waterway to the landing, then loaded into the tour bus.

Lucky for us, wildlife sightings were abundant–deer, a very cold pelican, shore birds such as cranes and heron, juvenile bald eagles and vultures.  There was even one red cockaded woodpecker, a local endangered species that nests in old-growth, long leaf pine trees.  But the students’ favorite was an otter who crossed the road and dove into the creek on the other side.  “That otter runs really weird,” observed Nathan as all the students pointed their phones and captured “Derrick.”

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Jim Lee took us to a wooden chapel which had its own congregation until fairly recently.  He played a recording of their choir singing gospel hymns so we could understand how the chapel used to be and what is lost now.  The music was both familiar and haunting, giving us a sense of our own community’s rich history.

After lunch, we visited Mr. Yawkey’s game room, which contained his big game trophies and memorabilia from the years he was the owner of the Red Sox.  One giant elk dwarfed the room, its antlers as wide as the height of some of the students.

Everyone came back to school in excellent spirits after this fun day of investigating the natural, cultural and historic riches of Georgetown County.  Thank you, Jim Lee and D. N. R., for a wonderfully enriching experience.