At Schoolyard Films, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to get kids excited about science and the natural world. But one thing we know for sure: learning doesn’t stop when you leave the classroom….or at any specific age.
This summer, our Director of Development & Outreach and environmental scientist, Amy Giannotti, spent two weeks traveling the Great Lakes as a professional speaker for a group of adventure travelers committed to lifelong learning.
For Amy, it was a chance to bring together more than 30 years of experience working with aquatic ecosystems while exploring one of the most incredible freshwater systems on the planet.
And Schoolyard Films came along for the ride!!
Amy gave presentations on Great Lakes wildlife, invasive species, plastics and microplastics, restoration, and conservation success stories – many of the same topics we explore in our films. During her plastics presentation, she shared several Schoolyard Films productions, connecting what our films teach with what was happening in the waters right outside the ship.
There were connections everywhere.
The trip began in Chicago, home of the Field Museum – and a fun connection to our own history. Marshall Field V, whose legacy is closely tied to the Museum, once sponsored a fundraiser benefiting Schoolyard Films.
Throughout the voyage, the Great Lakes became one giant classroom. Shipping connected to invasive species. Cities connected to watersheds. Plastic pollution connected freshwater to the ocean. History connected to restoration and conservation. And everywhere Amy went, people wanted to learn more.
One moment especially stayed with her.
After the plastics presentation, an 86-year-old retired teacher approached Amy and became emotional…with tears welling up as he spoke with her. He told her he had started to feel that his years of contributing were behind him. But after hearing the talk and learning about Schoolyard Films, he realized he could still learn, get involved, and make a difference!!
That pretty much sums up why we do what we do.
Our films are created for K–12 students, but kids come in all ages. And lifelong learning IS for us all!
Curiosity doesn’t retire. Neither does our ability to learn, teach, volunteer, advocate, share what we know, or simply care enough to ask better questions.
Amy went to the Great Lakes to teach…and came home having learned plenty herself!!
Because whether you’re 8 or 88, there’s always more to discover, more to protect, and more connections to make on this magnificent blue planet we call home.
