Pied Piper Tom Dale connects with kids

 
By ALICIA EVANS and JIL SCHULT

Tom Dale is many things to many people – retired Kirtland science instructor who still teaches part-time; education director of the Gahagan Nature Preserve; and pied piper to thousands of schoolchildren each year in the months leading up to the annual Kirtland’s Warbler Festival.

Dale has developed many educational programs in his three years at Gahagan including a visiting naturalist program that is sponsored by KCC, field trips for Roscommon and St. Helen area schools that are sponsored by Gerrish-Higgins, and ELF or Environmental Learning for the Future, sponsored by COOR.

“All of these programs are very beneficial to the children and encourage them to learn more,” said Dale, “This year for instance, through the visiting naturalist program the set of activities is about bears and children just jump on it.”

Dale saw more than 4,000 students this year, a much larger number than in the previous three years. In addition, he invited all of them to take part in the second annual Kirtland’s Warbler Festival Young Artists Calendar Art Contest.

Students in the COOR district from Kindergarten through the eighth grade were encouraged to submit artwork pertaining to nature and the warbler in its jack pine ecosystem.

The calendar project was a way to help children to better understand this rare bird and the forest that it inhabits for roughly six months out of the year.

“For its first year, the calendar has been very successful,” said Dale. “When I showed the calendar to a group of Roscommon Elementary Schools students and pointed out that one of the contest winners was in their group, the class spontaneously applauded and many stood when they applauded. He was a real hero.”

Last year more than 150 pupils submitted an entry.

“It’s a great opportunity for the college to get the youngsters involved and to highlight the talents of many young artists whose work helps to celebrate one of the great environmental success stories of our time – the comeback of a species that not long ago was nearly extinct,” said Jim Enger, Kirtland’s marketing director and the chairman of the KWF organizing committee.

A committee consisting of area art teachers and the Warbler Festival committee make the final judgments, narrowing it down to 17 winners equally divided in the various grade groups. The poster judged best overall is displayed on the front cover and the rest are displayed on each month of the 16-month calendar.

The college originally planned to sell the calendars for $5 each. However, college officials decided that this would be a good way to give something back to the community and promote the festival. Therefore, the calendars are free. Kirtland also donated 400 calendars to area schools so that each classroom will have one to display.