Near, On and In the Hudson River at Yonkers

Beczak Environmental Beczak Environmental Education CenterEducation Center

A Tradition of Education, A Tradition of Education, Outreach and StewardshipOutreach and Stewardship

Throughout its history, Beczak has Throughout its history, Beczak has been committed to educating the been committed to educating the

public about the natural resources of public about the natural resources of the Hudson River.the Hudson River.

Located right on the Hudson River, Located right on the Hudson River, there couldn’t be a better place to there couldn’t be a better place to explore the wonders of the natural explore the wonders of the natural

world!world!

However, the beautiful building and However, the beautiful building and grounds you are visiting today, grounds you are visiting today,

weren’t always quite so beautiful.weren’t always quite so beautiful.

A view of our building and grounds A view of our building and grounds as renovations begin.as renovations begin.

The park and marsh areas prior to The park and marsh areas prior to construction and planting.construction and planting.

Beczak Environmental Education Beczak Environmental Education Center as seen today.Center as seen today.

Our marsh was planted by staff and Our marsh was planted by staff and volunteers from Beczak.volunteers from Beczak.

Daily happenings at Beczak:Daily happenings at Beczak:

• School programs

• Year-long program at Foxfire Elementary School

• After school environmental clubs

• Beczak Summer Adventures

• Professional development workshops

• River and marsh cleanups

• Aquaria

• Work with volunteers and interns

• Staff development and training

• Curriculum development

School Programs: Throughout the School Programs: Throughout the school year, Beczak works with school year, Beczak works with

approximately 5000 students at the approximately 5000 students at the center and off-site.center and off-site.

School Programs: A group of students School Programs: A group of students helping the educators search the helping the educators search the

seine net.seine net.

School Programs: A hogchoker on School Programs: A hogchoker on display for students during a seining display for students during a seining

program.program.

School Programs: A class poses for a School Programs: A class poses for a picture by our Hudson River Species picture by our Hudson River Species Display before venturing out into the Display before venturing out into the

river.river.

School Programs: Students are School Programs: Students are learning about the geography of the learning about the geography of the

Hudson River with our Estuary Model.Hudson River with our Estuary Model.

Foxfire Elementary: Beczak has Foxfire Elementary: Beczak has developed a year-long curriculum for developed a year-long curriculum for weekly visits to the 2weekly visits to the 2ndnd grade classes grade classes

at Foxfire.at Foxfire.

Foxfire Elementary: One of the Foxfire Elementary: One of the culminating activities for the culminating activities for the students at Foxfire is a trip to students at Foxfire is a trip to

Palisades Interstate Park.Palisades Interstate Park.

Environmental Clubs: Beczak Environmental Clubs: Beczak coordinates environmental clubs at coordinates environmental clubs at

Emerson and Mark Twain Middle Emerson and Mark Twain Middle Schools.Schools.

Environmental Clubs: A trip to Beczak Environmental Clubs: A trip to Beczak for seining and exploration is the for seining and exploration is the culminating activity for students culminating activity for students

involved in the clubs.involved in the clubs.

Summer Programming: This past Summer Programming: This past summer marked the pilot run of our summer marked the pilot run of our

Beczak Summer Adventures Beczak Summer Adventures program.program.

Summer Programming: Beczak Summer Programming: Beczak Summer Adventures was considered Summer Adventures was considered to be highly successful and enjoyed to be highly successful and enjoyed

by all those involved. by all those involved.

Professional Development: Beczak Professional Development: Beczak holds professional development holds professional development workshops for area teachers and workshops for area teachers and

educators.educators.

Professional Development: Many of Professional Development: Many of Beczak’s workshops are run in Beczak’s workshops are run in

partnership with staff from the DEC.partnership with staff from the DEC.

Stewardship: Students learn about Stewardship: Students learn about the importance of pollution through the importance of pollution through

events such as river and marsh events such as river and marsh cleanups on Earth Day.cleanups on Earth Day.

Special Events: Throughout the year, Special Events: Throughout the year, Beczak holds several Hudson River Beczak holds several Hudson River themed events, such as the Earth themed events, such as the Earth

Week programming below. Week programming below.

Special Events: During the summer, Special Events: During the summer, Beczak, in collaboration with the Beczak, in collaboration with the Yonkers Paddle and Rowing Club, Yonkers Paddle and Rowing Club,

holds a campfire event.holds a campfire event.

Special Events: Singing while roasting Special Events: Singing while roasting marshmallows in the campfire.marshmallows in the campfire.

Festivals: Whenever possible, Beczak Festivals: Whenever possible, Beczak educators attend various festivals educators attend various festivals promoting the importance of the promoting the importance of the

Hudson River.Hudson River.

Volunteers/Interns: Volunteers help the Volunteers/Interns: Volunteers help the education staff complete tasks such as education staff complete tasks such as

marsh maintenance, aquaria, and marsh maintenance, aquaria, and program preparation. program preparation.

Volunteers/Interns: Grants make it Volunteers/Interns: Grants make it possible for us to work with high school possible for us to work with high school

interns. Below are students who helped us interns. Below are students who helped us with Summer Adventures.with Summer Adventures.

Staff Development: Beczak educators Staff Development: Beczak educators routinely attend professional routinely attend professional

development workshops. In addition, the development workshops. In addition, the staff embarked on a team-building trip.staff embarked on a team-building trip.

Staff Development: Hiking to the Staff Development: Hiking to the source of the Hudson River, Lake Tear source of the Hudson River, Lake Tear

of the Clouds.of the Clouds.

Staff Development: The group Staff Development: The group standing in the middle of Lake Tear of standing in the middle of Lake Tear of

the Clouds in the Adirondack the Clouds in the Adirondack Mountains.Mountains.

What’s New?: Say hello to the latest What’s New?: Say hello to the latest addition to our aquaria collection. A addition to our aquaria collection. A

snapping turtle!snapping turtle!

What’s New?: Beczak recently What’s New?: Beczak recently installed an exhibit called The installed an exhibit called The Palisades Revealed. Take a trip Palisades Revealed. Take a trip

through time to examine the forces through time to examine the forces that shaped the Palisades into what that shaped the Palisades into what

they are today.they are today.

Future Projects:Future Projects:

• Expansion of weekend programming

• Additions to the Palisades exhibit

• Development of a Palisades curriculum

• Continued work on the Three Rivers Teacher Guide

• Completion of the marsh booklet

• Website updates

How You Can Help:How You Can Help:

Beczak Environmental Education Center provides interactive

educational experiences focused on the local watersheds. Our goal is to

encourage stewardship of the environment within our communities.

Thanks to your past, current and future support, it will be possible for

us to expand our programming, collaborate with new and exciting

partners, and continue to grow as an organization. It is also our goal to

provide more free family programming to educate the public about the

importance of our river ecosystems.

Beczak Environmental Education Beczak Environmental Education CenterCenter

Learn to Learn to love your love your

river!river!