At Piedmont Wildlife Center, our community is everything; it’s what keeps us grounded, gives us a sense of purpose, and offers so many opportunities for connection. In the spirit of community, we’ve decided to begin honoring our partners and other community members that make PWC such a special place, where we welcome and appreciate people from all walks of life.
The North Carolina School of Science and Math (NCSSM) Wildlife Club is a group of high school students from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, NC who are dedicated to the conservation and education of local wildlife. The club was formed during the summer of 2020 when a couple of friends, separated by the ongoing global pandemic, wanted to contribute something meaningful to their school and the larger Triangle community. Today, the NCSSM Wildlife Club is composed of many junior and senior students who partake in a variety of projects with that same mission in mind.
As a result of COVID-19, NCSSM has adopted a lower-density residency model for its students, with rotating cohorts of students staying on campus (with extensive procedures in place to minimize risk) for 6 week periods while remaining students attending remotely. As a result of the protocol, the NCSSM Wildlife Club has been unable to travel to Piedmont Wildlife Center or other surrounding areas to volunteer or even simply visit. After many meetings and brainstorming sessions, we have been able to create multiple virtual opportunities to collaborate on, with several more in the works.
The Wildlife Club has done a fantastic job co-hosting a Wildlife Arts Competition with us this month. They are also in the process of developing a digital magazine about Piedmont Wildlife Center and information on native wildlife and conservation to be distributed to local elementary school students!
We are honored to be a part of the NCSSM Wildlife Club’s activities, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for this group of bright and passionate young leaders!
