On September 30th, the 5th-8th graders at the Onondaga Nation School spent the day exploring the health of a favorite local waterway – Hemlock Creek.
They participated in a program called “A Day in the Life, (DitL)” which is run by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Students moved with their classmates through a series of stations led by experts from the DEC, Cornell, and the Onondaga Environmental Institute (OEI). What makes this special is that our region organizers have worked with local community members to create a program that incorporates scientific measurements with indigenous knowledge and traditions. In this spirit, our day closed with Council Member Brad Powless speaking to the group. His stories about his grandfathers brought two very diverse topics, traditional knowledge about the ecosystem and a personal perspective on Orange Shirt Day, to life.
