KENNEDYVILLE, MD - After 21 years, Wayne Gilchrest is again teaching in Kent County. But this time, he's doing it outdoors.
About 10 years ago, Gilchrest, a former Kent County High School teacher who served nine terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, read John Wennersten's book, "The Chesapeake Bay: An Environmental Biography," which chronicles the history of human impact on the Bay.
Wennersten's book gave Gilchrest an idea that grew into the Sassafras Environmental Education Center, which officially opened at a ceremony last Tuesday morning at Turner's Creek Pavilion. Gilchrest's goal for the center is for each child in Kent County to visit once a year.
"The plan is, this doesn't happen all at once," he said. "This coming school year, we'll have third- and eighth-grade activities. Next year, third-, fourth-, eighth- and ninth-grade activities. Then five years out, we'll have all the children come out."
Kent County Public Schools Superintendent A. Barbara Wheeler supports integrating the center into the school curriculum.
I thought the object was to improve education?
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