The Regional Office of Education for Henderson, Knox, Mercer, and Warren County is hosting the annual 5th Grade Ken Russell Outdoor Education Day Thursday at Lake Storey.
The program is will see over 500 Knox County fifth grade students make their way through several stations where close to 30 volunteer presenters will teach the kids about recycling, bees, aquatics and reptiles, and even fish.
Lori Loving, Assistant Regional Superintendent of Schools for ROE #33, tells that the favorite is the aquatics station, where kids will learn about various animals that are found in Lake Storey, including turtles and bass.
“It’s so fun to watch,” Loving said. “They go out in morning in their boat and they scoop up all kinds of cool aquatics from Lake Storey and they have those on hand to show the kids.”
Loving says that the outdoor day is a lot of fun for her, as it reminds her of her classroom days being around the kids.
The event was named after former Illinois Department of Natural Resources fish biologist Ken Russell, a volunteer who had been apart of the outdoor event for decades.
“It was just last year that we renamed the event after Ken Russell. He had been a part of the IDNR for many years and he has been a presenter and volunteer at the outdoor education day probably since it’s conception.”
In a statement from the regional office, Loving says they are grateful for Nutrien Ag Solutions who donated money to cover the expenses of putting on the outdoor education day, as well as the many volunteers and presenters that come out every year to participate.
The event will run from 9:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
