Watkins Eco Warriors

09/22/2026

We unfortunately have to make a new page for Eco Warriors. Please direct all traffic to the new page, it will comment below. Thank you and we apologize for the inconvenience.

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09/14/2026

We are so grateful for Ms. Zelazny’s support! She is one of the advisors on our advisory board and has been extremely helpful in providing opportunities for our club to gain traction. We are eternally thankful 💛🖤

Let me brag on our Watkins Eco Warriors for a minute. 💚🌳

Yesterday at our MORPC meeting, we had the opportunity to hear from the executive director and CEO of the Columbus Zoo, Tom Schmid. Toward the end of the discussion, several members from Franklin County started asking about how the Zoo engages middle and high school students.

He shared some of the different programs and opportunities they offer, but the questions kept coming: How do students find out about these programs? How do communities get their kids involved? Why don’t more people know these opportunities exist?

I wasn’t planning on speaking, but the more I listened, the more I felt like I had to brag a little on our very own Eco Warriors right here in Southwest Licking (and more importantly thank him and the Columbus Zoo for providing these opportunities).

Because our kids are already doing it.

The Eco Warriors were born after students had an opportunity to visit the Columbus Zoo. They took what they learned, came home inspired, and decided they wanted to make a difference in their own community.

And they didn’t stop at an idea.

These kids put together a plan, submitted a grant application, and were awarded $5,000 to plant trees along US 40 between the school and the federal route. 🌳

Since then, what started as one project has grown into something so much bigger.

These students look around our community, identify actual problems and then ask themselves, “What can we do to help solve this?”

I’m fortunate enough to serve as one of their community advisors, and each quarter they come to us with their plans, ideas and goals. Our job isn’t to tell them what to do… it’s to listen, help them navigate the process, connect them with the right people and help turn their ideas into reality.

Watching the evolution of their vision has been incredible. Their goals have continued to grow, including their long-term vision of creating outdoor classrooms where future students can learn, explore and connect with the environment.

So yesterday, while everyone was talking about how we get middle and high school students engaged in these kinds of opportunities, I couldn’t help but sit there thinking Our kids already are.

Sometimes we forget just how much is happening right here in our own backyard. Our districts truly do try to take advantage of every opportunity available to our students and our community.

And yesterday, I was pretty darn proud to be able to tell a room full of Central Ohio leaders that little ol’ Etna Township and Southwest Licking are already ahead of the game. 💚

04/26/2026

04/22/2026

Creating an enrichment net for elephants at the Columbus Zoo Day 26 Zoo ECO Summit

04/22/2026

We are at the ECO Youth Summit at the Columbus Zoo today! Our first activity was to create enrichment nets for the elephants!

04/17/2026

Feel free to join us for our paver unveiling ceremony! We will be celebrating our donors as well as paying remembrance to two District staff members who have passed away last year. Afterward, we will be at the District Arts Festival. Stop by and learn more about our ECO Lab project. We will have sweet treats available to those who would like to make a donation.

04/13/2026

Absolutely AMAZING day!
Today we planted 100 tree saplings to create a pocket forest .
A huge thank you to Licking County Soil and Water for giving us a grant for most of the trees then $1,000 for fencing to protect them as they are growing!

Also, thank you to Licking County Pollinator Pathways donated who 24 of the saplings and helped us plant.

Thank you to our amazing grounds crew who supported the entire process!! 🌳

Pocket forest are used to restore biodiversity without needing a lot of land! This grouping of trees will grow at a much faster rate this way too!!

04/06/2026

All proceeds will go towards our projects !!
Any local bakeries willing to donate some baked goods for any of the dates would be greatly appreciated 🫶🌳

01/11/2026

We are creating an advisory group of adults to advise us. We are working on a master plan for the ECO Lab and will share it for their consideration in early February. We had several farmers help us out with straw, and we would love to have a local farmer join our advisory committee. Our developing plan includes an area we want to devote to the history of farming in our area, so we are particularly interested in having someone to advise on that area. We are also interested in including public art in the ECO Lab. If there is someone who shares that interest, we would love to hear from them as well. Please message us, and our advisor, Dr. Ball, will reach out to possible advisors to provide more information.

We are also in the final stage of Columbus Zoo grant consideration this year, so please send us good thoughts as we complete the question-and-answer portion of the process this week.

Thank you, everyone, for your interest in our project!

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