The members of the Education Committee from the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center went into the first grade classrooms  of all 3 Fannin County elementary  schools recently.  They were there to teach lessons on the subjects of hummingbirds, bird identification and how to make a bird feeder.

Each first grader made their own bird feeder to take home.  Programs such as this would not be possible if it were not for the cooperation of principals and their administrative staff.. A special thanks goes to Ms. Cindy Hicks at West Fannin Elementary, Ms. Penny Daves at East Fannin Elementary and Ms. Donna Gray at Blue Ridge Elementary for coordinating this program within the school.  These Education Committee members and volunteers shared this bird program with over 700 first graders this month.

The Education Committee is part of the Community Council at the G.M.R.E. Center.  The Community Council was founded in 2003 for the purpose of enhancing the mission of the G.M.R.E. Center.  The council emphasizes education, outreach and preservation. Last year, 3,500 students in Union, Fannin, and Towns County in Georgia and Clay County in North Carolina attended programs at the Center.

1st Grade Birds: Mrs. Herndon’s class: Melton Callahan, Dawson Hawkins (blue shirt), Brooklynn Siler, Yarley Vargas-Garcia. Education Committee member Melton Callahan lends a helping hand with bird feeder wires.

Feature photo above: 1^st Grade Birds: Mrs. Hicks’ class: Katy Beno is helping Izzie Jabaley, Luke McFarland, and Ava Twiggs. Fannin volunteer Katy Beno solves a bird feeder problem.