Students explore natural wonders thanks to grant
Students learned that the sand deposits scattered along the southeastern portion of the Connecticut River in town such as
Longmeadow and Chicopee were blown into Longmeadow by easterly winds after the last ice age and the draining of Glacier
Lake Hitchcock.
By Natasha Clark
Assistant Managing Editor of the Reminder
LONGMEADOW The Longmeadow Cultural
Council is a low key organization that
often flies under the radar in town. With
its ability to bring culture and
enlightenment to the town through
education and the arts, it achieves its
mission courtesy of grants funded through
the state Cultural Council.
Last week, students at Blueberry
Elementary School explored the sand dune
forest adjacent to the school thanks to the
organization. The program took the
students out of their science class and
directly into nature. Through hands on
exploration the youth examined local
fauna, flora, practiced basic compass skills
and participated in a trash cleanup.
Educator Aimee Gelinas, the founder of
Tamarack Hollow, educational programs
dedicated to inspiring environmental and
cultural awareness, appreciation and
stewardship, headed the exciting outdoor
event. She was one of 19 who applied to
the cultural council for grant monies to
bring her Tamarack program to Blueberry.
A Longmeadow native and graduate of the
district, her ties to Blueberry also include
her niece Anneliese, who is a fifth grader,
and her nephew Michael, a first grader.
Gelinas comes from a multi-faceted
background. She leads the environmental
and cultural programs at Tamarack and
has been facilitating a variety of programs
that run the gamut in the arts like music
curriculum development for over 12 years.
She also instructs drumming and singing
in West African, Afro-Caribbean and Latin
genres. When Reminder Publications caught up
with Gelinas she was with Anneliese's
science class, which is taught by teacher
Lynn Marinone. Students participated in a
Compass Challenge, setting their
coordinates to those assigned by Gelinas
and then embarking on a treasure hunt,
ultimately finding pieces of nature
previously hidden by Gelinas --
sandstones, acorns and a gall (an insect
home).
"She is showing us what is actually out in
our own backyard," Marinone said.
Students learned that the sand deposits
scattered along the southeastern portion
of the Connecticut River in town such as
Longmeadow and Chicopee were blown
into Longmeadow by easterly winds after
the last ice age and the draining of Glacier
Lake Hitchcock. Gelinas said the
subsequent sandy soil found behind
Blueberry fosters specific tree and plant
species such as Pitch Pine that typically
grows on Cape Cod along with White Pine,
White Oak and Wild Blueberry.
Longmeadow Cultural Council members
John Bowen and Georgene Gelinas, who is
also Gelinas' mother, were on hand to
enjoy the event.
Bowen, council chair, said members
attend the events to "come and see how
kids react to the programs." This year the
council was awarded $4,450 and they
received applications totaling $12,443.
The other grant winners include the
Springfield Youth Orchestra, the
Longmeadow Chamber Music Society,
Waterfall Productions, Gaia Roots, the
Longmeadow Historical Society,
Longmeadow Parks and Recreation, Storrs
Library and Nova Cantori.
"[The grants] impact what culture can be
brought into town," Georgene said. "When
it comes to the grants we look at who,
what, where, when, why and how."
To learn more about the Longmeadow
Cultural Council visit www.massculture.
org/lcc_public_about.asp?coun_en
um=150. For additional information on
Tamarack Hollow, check out
Visit www.thereminder.com for more
exclusive photos of the event.
