Mission for Third Graders at EES:Help Save Endangered Species

By Devin Beliveau
Staff Columnist
ELIOT —

The New England Cottontail is on the Maine endangered species list, and 19 local third graders have decided to do something about it.
In mid-January, Melanie Dodge’s third grade class at Eliot Elementary began a six-week service-learning project. The first job was to choose the way they would serve their community.
“We started with 30 project ideas,” Dodge explained, “but children love animals. That is definitely where their passion lies. They decided they wanted to save an endangered species.”
Selecting which animal to save turned out to be an easy decision.
“I researched what actual endangered species there are in Eliot, and there was only one, the New England Cottontail, which is a little gray and brown rabbit. It’s already extinct in Vermont and there are only about 250 left in Maine,” according to Dodge.
After deciding to help the New England Cottontail, the students split up into groups, and worked on various tasks to start fighting for their cause.
One group has focused on making posters. “They’ve completed - and I’ve laminated - over 30 signs already. They’re going to put them up in businesses, municipal buildings, telephone poles, and also in the Eliot schools,” Dodge explained.
Tech-savvy students focused their efforts on creating a PowerPoint presentation about the endangered bunny. The presentation will be shown in all the Eliot Elementary classrooms, and it will also be sent to teachers at the Marshwood Great Works School, Middle School and High School.
“We’re going to put it online too, and it will be part of the Eliot Elementary web site, www.msad35.net/ees,” added Dodge.
Another student subcommittee composed letters to get the word out. They already sent one letter to the Portsmouth Herald.
“Next, there will be a letter to Eliot residents, and also one for President Obama. They will send those letters after school vacation because they’re not finished editing.”
One student wanted to write his own letter to President Obama and hand-deliver it.
“That would have been interesting,” laughed Dodge.
Students’ efforts on behalf of the Cottontail have recently expanded beyond the classroom.
“The kids are really into going into the woods and making habitats, it’s the number one thing they want to do. They want to grow plant shrubs so the rabbits have a place to hide and find food,” said Dodge.
Whatever the result of their efforts, Dodge hopes that the students will learn “that they can make a difference, that Eliot is their community and they should care about everything that has to do with their community.” She wants them to know that “they can change the world, but first start with their community. They can make things happen; they have power and a voice.”
The students hope to get the New England Cottontail on to the National Endangered Species List. It is currently no. 2 in line to make it on that list.
Dodge requests Eliot residents contact the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge (207) 646-9226 if they see rabbit tracks, so that staff there may track and continue to monitor the endangered animal.
Photo caption: The Eliot Elementary Third Graders decided to help the endangered New England Cottontail for their service-learning project. (Courtesy photo)