7th Graders Discover Hawk Migration
Jim Keighton of Blue Ridge Birders hosted BRDC and 19 Grayson Highlands seventh graders for a day of counting migrating hawks.
2nd Annual BRDC Science Fair
BRDC is excited to announce the 2nd Annual BRDC Science Fair in partnership with Grayson County Public Schools! All 6th and 7th-grade students in Grayson County Public Schools are included.
Monarch and Milkweed
This month, we shared the life cycle, habitat requirements, and the migration of the Monarch butterfly.
BRDC Partners with Galax for Hands-On Summer Day Camp Fun
Continuing a successful relationship built through afterschool programs and weekend field trips during the 2016 and 2017 school years, BRDC partnered with Galax Public Schools this summer to offer four unique, weeklong camps in June and July. The camps were hands-on, experiential learning based, outdoor skills focused, and offered free of charge to 3rd-7th grade Galax students.
Galax Middle Visits Grandfather Mountain
On May 6th, students from Galax Middle School took a trip up 5,946’ to the top of Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. There they had the opportunity to learn about the various flora and fauna that inhabit the mountains’ 16 distinct ecosystems.
School of Fish
As the school year wraps up, the student's hard work as part of the Trout in the Classroom program is paying off.
Having reared brook trout fingerlings from eggs for the last 4 months, the students now feel the pride of releasing the young trout into local streams.
The 1st Annual BRDC Science Fair!
The First Annual Blue Ridge Discovery Center Science Fair brought together 6th and 7th grade students from Grayson Highlands, Independence, and Fries to compete for the grand prize- a Phantom 3 drone!
Learning about Amphibians & Aquatic Insects
BRDC has been busy with education programs, working with Galax Middle School, Fries School, Fairview Elementary, Grayson Highlands, Independence Elementary.
Grayson County's fourth grade students participated in the Natural Heritage Program with an emphasis on salamanders, toads, and frogs. Students learned about salamanders commonly found in the Blue Ridge.
Galax After School Field Trip
Students in Galax Middle School's After School Program are learning about Primitive Technology this month. At the beginning of the week, students discussed the meaning of primitive technology and experimented with different pottery techniques.
A Week of Exploration, Messy Adventures, Engineering & Creativity!
Both staff and volunteers were on-the-go as we taught students from Galax Middle School for their Enrichment Week. Enrichment week gives students a break from the everyday class routine and allows them to gain crucial experience outside of the classroom. BRDC provided students with three different programs that they could choose from including Pioneering, Crafting with Nature, and Exploration and Discovery.
Galax Enrichment Week Begins!
Students from Galax Middle School take a break from the classroom and have the opportunity to get outdoors and discover the natural world!
Raptors and Kids Circle Burkes Garden
Five eager and energetic students climbed into the van and began the trip to Burkes Garden
Animal Tracks & Signs in Grayson County Schools
This month, Grayson County students learned all about Animal Tracks and Signs.
BRDC Program Director, Lisa Benish, showed fourth grade students examples of tracks made by animals found here in the Blue Ridge. Students were asked to reenact the walking patterns of species such as white-tail deer, black bear, and eastern cottontails.
Superheroes of Grayson County
All of Grayson County's first, fourth and fifth graders became superheroes last week. BRDC guide and wildlife rehabilitator, Darin Handy presented a wonderful program about mammals; marsupials in particular, of the Blue Ridge.
Fairy Stone's for Young Explorers
Seven eager young explorers ventured to Fairy Stone State Park in search of these mysterious Fairy Stones.
BRDC Kicks Off New Science Fair!
We are excited to announce the 1st Annual BRDC Science Fair in partnership with Grayson County Public Schools! The Science fair is a chance for students to exercise their creative thinking skills, follow their curiosity, learn more about their interests and share their discoveries with others.
December...A Great Time to Study Geology!
BRDC's Natural Heritage Program offered geology programs to the students of Grayson County Public Schools during December.
Fly Fishing in School?
National Fishing in Schools Program is a nationwide, in school program that teaches a positive lifetime activity to students.
Geology Lessons along the Virginia Creeper Trail
Galax Middle School students braved a very cold day in order to be enlightened about the geology of the Blue Ridge.
One kid is getting started off right!
We are excited to announce that we will be giving away a fly rod, a reel rigged with