Stella’s Migration Provides Picture Perfect Lesson In Goal Setting-Stella Visits Pine Jog Elementary, Tuesday, October 23rd
Children across Florida are taking part in a unique exercise in goal setting to help Stella, a near life-size illustration of a baby right whale, migrate 700 miles from one end of the state to the other. Famed muralist Wyland and South Florida school children created the giant painting in spring 2012 as part of an effort to draw attention to the plight of the endangered north Atlantic right whale whose numbers have dwindled in recent years to less than 400 animals. To mirror the average traveling distance in a right whale’s migration, Stella will stop every twenty miles at schools and children’s centers, starting October 14 in Key Largo and concluding November 17 at the Right Whale Festival in Jacksonville.
Stella will be visiting Pine Jog Elementary School, Tuesday, October 23rd for two assemblies: 8:30-9:15, Grades 3, 5 and 9:20-10:05, Grades 2, 4. The assemblies will include presentations from marine mammal experts and educators, a photo opportunity with Stella, and activities for students to use Stella’s journey to identify their own goals for environmental conservation, health and wellness, and academic success.
A statewide art contest for all schools will also be held. “Stella gives students a chance to understand the perilous migration that whales undertake every year from their winter calving areas off Florida to the feeding grounds off Nova Scotia,” says Wyland. “Her journey gives us a unique way of understanding the importance of overcoming obstacles to achieve goals.”
A web site at www.wylandfoundation.org/stellasmigration features an interactive board for schools to upload photos of Stella’s visit to their school, an animated map of Stella’s journey, a video of Stella’s creation, and teacher information kits with art contest materials, environmental science lessons, health and wellness tips, and activities about academic goal setting. Throughout the tour, organizers including the Wyland Foundation, Harbor Branch Oceanographic at Florida Atlantic University, Florida Blue, Kids Eat Right and the Florida YMCA will also host multi-media presentations with educators, nutritionists, and marine mammal experts at each school.
Follow Stella’s Journey at #stellathewhale on Twitter or at facebook.com/thewylandfoundation
For questions about the Pine Jog Elementary school assembly scheduled for Tuesday, October 23, please contact Linda Petuch at 561-656-5400 or Fred Barch at 561-656-5421.
