Students To Learn About Pollination, Honey Making At School-Based Beehive
By John McNamara
NEW BRITAIN – Smalley Elementary School’s second floor room for STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) is now home to a colony of honeybees made possible by two nonprofit organizations, New Britain Roots and the New Haven-based Huneebee Project.
Teachers and students at the 590-pupil K-5 elementary school in the heart of the city were introduced to the study of bees, pollination and beekeeping at school assemblies on June 1st in a presentation by Beekeeper Tim Dutcher of the Huneebee Project and Jennifer Wright, Assistant Coordinator of STEAM for the school district (CSDNB) School Social Worker Jill Giguere, experienced as a beekeeper, was designated the official “bee advocate” for Smalley’s hive.
From the observation hive inside the school, the bees will be able to leave the building and return through a PVC pipe that allows them to safely enter and exit without posing any risk to the students or staff at the school. The bees will pollinate surrounding flowers and gather pollen and nectar, fulfilling their ecological role.
“The introduction of an observational hive at Smalley Elementary will offer a hands-on approach to
education, allowing students to observe the intricate social structure, communication, and
cooperation within a hive,” said Jennifer Wright. “This living laboratory will allow students to witness the fascinating world of honeybees up close, providing them with valuable insights into the critical role these incredible insects play in our ecosystem.”
School officials said every class at Smalley will be visiting the observational beehive as the school year comes to an end. “Today starts the learning about bees,” said Smalley Elementary Principal Andrea Foligno.
The Smalley School Beehive project is the latest initiative of New Britain ROOTS led by Executive Director Joey Listro who also serves on the Board of Education. ROOTS works collaboratively with the school district and has helped establish garden beds at all 12 schools through its “educational programs on sustainable agriculture, food justice, and healthy eating practices.” The Huneebee
Project, a New Haven based non-profit, trains youth in beekeeping and the creative arts and is
providing beekeeping services to support the new observational beehive at Smalley.
Last week members of the Rotary Club of New Britain provided funding and volunteer support to
install a pollinator garden at Smalley Elementary School, including a generous donation of soil and
mulch from We Care Compost,” according to a School District statement. “This collaborative effort provides students to see honeybees at work in both the pollinator garden as well as the observational hive.”
The project, organized by CSDNB, ROOTS and the Hunabee Project, has been a year in the making and has been made possible by a Connecticut Department of Agriculture Grown for Connecticut Kids Grant , a program that provides funds to support farm to school activities.
Related story on ROOTS, October 2022:
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