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!
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