Bluffton High School and H.E. McCracken Middle School have each won a $2,000 grant from Champions of the Environment, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced.

“The ‘Be an Eco-Hero’ project at Bluffton High School involves students who participated in the Student Training Empowerment Program (S.T.E.P),” said Amy Bennett, Champions of the Environment coordinator. “They’re working to reduce waste by converting gently used t-shirts into reusable shopping bags that will be made available to the community.”

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You might not sport a cape and fancy tights, but you’ll definitely be an eco-hero in your school and community when you learn to make good choices for yourself.  STEP has once again put together six fun after school enrichment workshops full of tips about helping the planet and lots of information to help you be your best.  The workshops develop essential life skills, including critical thinking, teamwork, and important coping skills for children in grades 1-5.  The hands-on workshops promote friendship, honesty and citizenship to help children excel in the future.  There will be workshops topics about how you can help to protect the planet, as well as, how you can make responsible choices to help you grow up to be successful.

The workshops are led by trained high school students that are not only inspiring role models, but students that truly care about helping others to do their best.  Studies show that children learn best from older children, and this is a unique opportunity to do just that.

There will be six fun and entertaining workshops.  Each workshop will be held on the second Monday of each month for the rest of the school year from 3:30 – 5:00p.m. beginning Monday, December 14, 2009.  Included in each workshop will be a healthy and delicious snack, crafts, games and storytelling.

The Bluffton workshops will be held at H.E. McCracken Middle School and the Hilton Head Island workshops will be held at Hilton Head Island High School, in the Chrysalis Conservation Courtyard.  Students will be escorted from neighboring elementary schools by an adult and all workshops are monitored by a teacher.

The cost of each workshop is $12.00 and you must register ahead by emailing kathleen@gostep.org.   Workshop size is limited and they are sure to fill up fast, so please fill in the eco-hero-registration-form ASAP, along with the workshop fee.  Please make checks payable to STEP.  Email kathleen@gostep.org if you need more information.

This is a workshop to introduce children in a fun and eduacational way to the benefits of learning refusal skills. In addition to learning to identify people, places, things, or situations that may be harmful, they will also discuss and role play the implications of making positive choices for themselves with the reading of Spunking Spot. It is a story about an inquisitive little fish that must learn to not get hooked, so he can grow up to be safe, happy and healthy.

Because children are the leaders of tomorrow, educating them today to become protectors of the planet and responsible citizens, will result in a more positive future for us all. So give them an enriching and memorable learning experience by registering them for the STEP Environmental Discovery Workshop, Don’t Get Hooked, on Monday, May 4, 2009, from 3:30 P.M. until 5:30 P.M. It will be held in The Chyrsalis Conservation Courtyard at HHIHS. There will be games, storytelling, and a healthy, delicious snack at the workshop. Please fill in the registration form and return it along with payment to the address on the form. If your child needs to be escorted from HHE please email Kathleen@gostep.org.

STEP is cooking up fun at a delicious “Green Cuisine Workshop”. On Monday, April 6, 2009 Chef Glenn Keller, from the fabulous restaurant, Frankie Bones, and STEP mentors will team up with children in grades 1-5 to create a healthy and tasty meal made in part from sustainable local produce. It’s also a zero waste affair. Everything from food scraps to dishes is reused or recycled. Highlights include a cooking demonstration from Chef Keller, story telling from The Hungry Catepillar , and an eco-friendly craft. It is being held among the butterflies at The Chrysalis Conservation Courtyard at Hilton Head Island High School at 3:30 P.M until 5:30 P.M.. This event is all about getting children involved in making good choices to protect the environment as well as making good choices for themselves. This workshop is a unique way to inspire young people to change the way they feel about healthful living. To attend the workshop please fill in the green-cuisine-registration1 and mail it to STEP along with the workshop fee. If more information is needed please email kathleen@gostep.org.

Celebrate the the real spirit of Valentine’s Day at the Heart to Heart workshop on Monday, February 23, 2009 at 3:30-5:30 P.M. in The Chrysalis Conservation Courtyard at HHIHS.  Join friends and learn about the real cornerstone of friendship — RESPONSIBILITY! This is a unique opportunity for students in grades 1 thru 5 to learn and be inspired about being responsible to not only themselves, their friends and family, but also about responsibly protecting our planet, while having lots of fun at The Chrysalis Conservation Courtyard. This workshop will create lasting memories as well as enhance life skills.  In addition to fun stories, games, crafts and tasty snacks, you will learn ways to be a successful person in whatever you do.  The workshop is led by kind and caring high school mentors of STEP, under the guidance of teacher, Laura Gottardo.  Sign up soon because space is limited.  Please fill out the workshop registration web-registration-heart1 and email kathleen@gostep.org to confirm your attendance.

‘Tis the giving season…so come celebrate both the joy of giving and protecting our planet with a special reading of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein under the live oak tree in the Chrysalis Conservation Courtyard.  This is a unique opportunity for students in grades 1 thru 5 to learn and be inspired about protecting our planet and the importance of sharing, while having a lot of fun in The Chrysalis Conservation Courtyard.

This workshop is an experience like no other.  In addition to the special reading, there will be crafts, games caramel apples and oh so much fun.  The fee is only $10.00.  The workshop is led by kind and caring high school mentors of the not for profit organization, Student Training Empowerment Program, A.K.A. STEP. 

The workshop begins after school at 3:30 P.M. and ends at 5:30 P.M.  Please mail the workshop fee of $10.00 and the registration form ASAP to reserve a place at the workshop.  If you have further questions please email Kathleen@gostep.org,