CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Over 160 students from Eastern Kanawha County elementary schools took part in an outdoor activity put on by Belle Chemical in partnership with WVU Extension’s 4-H Youth Development Outdoor Classroom.
Elementary school students from Belle, Cedar Grove, Chesapeake, Malden, Mary Ingles and Pratt Elementary participated in five stations of outdoor-learning activities.
Belle Chemical sponsored a STEM-learning station where students created their own lava lamp to take home.
“Our experience volunteering with WVU Extension’s Outdoor Classroom in 2022 was such an enjoyable experience for our employees,” said Alicha Hunt, Operations Manager at Belle Chemical. “We wanted the students to meet our employees and learn about what we manufacture as their corporate neighbor.”
Belle Chemical employees volunteered last year for two outdoor classroom events. JoLena Broussard, Manager of Strategic Engagement and Communications at Belle Chemical, said they’ve seen two previous outdoor classrooms, and this year decided to sponsor their own event, getting involved with local elementary school students
“It has been a great partnership with WVU Extension and their 4-H Outdoor Classroom, Broussard said Wednesday. “Now that we have some experience under our belt, we decided we wanted to have our Belle Chemical station.”
Just last week, Belle Chemical Company announced the launch of its coloring book, “The Things We Make: Belle Chemical Company.” The collaboration effort on the book was with the graphic design class of Carver Career and Technical Education Center in Malden.
Jocelyn Crawford is the 4-H Youth Development Agent for WVU Extension in Kanawha County who was also pleased with the partnership with Belle Chemical and their work to become more involved in the local youth.
“The kids got to make a really cool lava lamp, all while they also learn about what goes on at Belle Chemical,” Crawford said.
Crawford said they typically see between 800 and 1200 kids for their outdoor classrooms. Some sessions are geared towards kids as young as preschool.
“Kids spend the whole days outdoors, we do stations that have to do with nutrition and even STEM,” she said.
