Announcements
Students Use Their SMARTs for Bluebirds’ Safety
September 18, 2024
Part of the uniqueness of Green Chimneys is its setting; a place where a single activity can bring together nature, education, skill building, and personal growth. For the members of Community Leaders, a student group focused on strengthening relationship skills through community-building activities, the opportunity to support wildlife, and also develop hard and soft skills, became a perfect way to make a meaningful impact on the Brewster campus.
Choosing a Cause
Guided by Social Worker Lindsay Vallovera, Community Leaders explores relationships and interpersonal effectiveness through the lens of restorative justice. Throughout the summer, the group worked together to engage in community circles about their values and how they might contribute to the campus environment.
Through these discussions, and in talking with Green Chimneys’ Wildlife Team, a shared concern emerged: the wellbeing of the birds on campus. These birds, often seen building nests in precarious spots, such as buildings, needed safer spaces to call home.
Students learned that the Eastern Bluebird, in particular, a species facing habitat loss and competition from invasive sparrows, could thrive with a little human help. Located a ½ mile from our Brewster campus, Boni-Bel Farm offers a perfect habitat. However, bluebirds are cavity nesters and prefer abandoned woodpecker nests in hollowed-out dead trees so potential nesting sites are not plentiful.
Finding a Solution
Determined to help, the group set out to create a S.M.A.R.T. goal. “This type of goal is effective because it’s Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Time-bound, making it more attainable for students,” explains Lindsay. After evaluating each of these points, they chose to build birdhouses for the farm.
Plan created, the students began working with the Woodshop team, learning the skills needed to build sturdy and safe nesting boxes. By the end of the summer session, they had constructed more than 10 bluebird houses, with plans to build more throughout the year.
In early September, the student group and staff from Boni-Bel, Woodshop, Wildlife, and Clinical gathered at the farm to mount the newly completed birdhouses. The houses were carefully positioned on wooden posts, facing east to help the bluebirds feel welcome. In exchange for their safe new dwellings, the birds will eat insects like grasshoppers, beetles, and weevils that damage crops grown at Boni-Bel.
Community Impact
What started as a simple project became something much more—a lesson in conservation, teamwork, and the power of taking action. The students learned about a local species and, more importantly, became active stewards of the birds’ wellbeing. As they secured the birdhouses in place, they realized they weren’t just building homes for bluebirds; they were building confidence in their ability to make a positive difference in the world through interdisciplinary therapeutic activities.
Next spring, the students, along with staff and visitors, will watch eagerly as the bluebirds explore their new homes. We hope the birds will nest, their presence serving as a reminder of what can be achieved when a community comes together with purpose. This story is not just about birdhouses. It’s about growth, responsibility, and the lasting impact these young leaders have on the world around them when they’re given the support they need.
Boni-Bel Farm and Country Store
Boni-Bel Farm and Country Store is part of the Green Chimneys program, serving as a work-based learning site for the students, as well as a charming farm and country store in the heart of Brewster. In the gardens, Green Chimneys School students learn to interact with nature as they learn about and become responsible for the many plants while discovering new skills. Learning and skill-building extends to the Country Store where students learn about operations and customer service in a real retail environment, as well as general farm maintenance and operation of equipment. Plan a visit
