Danville students receive real-world STEM experience at golf course

Anna Wiest, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

May 15—DANVILLE — Nearly 180 fifth-graders took a trip across Danville on Tuesday to visit Frosty Valley Resort where golf courses were used as environmental learning labs for hands-on STEM learning.

The students went through five stations on the golf course with activities including calculating measurements of area and volume, analyzing different soils and seeds, learning about technology used on courses and trying some golf activities, according to Tom Height, golf course superintendent.

The stations were manned by about 25 volunteers to make the day go smoothly, Height said.

It seemed the stations that included clubs and balls were a favorite among the students. Ireland Litwin said, "Hitting was fun."

Lucy Hepfer said she and her classmates learned about area and how much water a golf course needs to keep it damp.

Dr. Heaven Reinard, principal at Liberty Valley Intermediate School, said Height approached her with the idea for a trip to Frosty Valley at the beginning of the school year.

"I was like, 'Tom, whatever you need, I'm in,'" Reinard said.

Reinard said she thought the trip could introduce students to golf.

"My big thing was so many kids have maybe never stepped foot on a golf course, but could come here and realize they want to golf," the principal said. "There are so many golf scholarships people aren't using."

This is the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America's first First Green program to be held in the region, Height said.

Reinard said Liberty Valley was very excited to be the first to have the experience.

With help from both the national association and the regional Pocono Golf Course Superintendent Association, Height said he was able to put the program together at no cost to the school.

Class Acts is a weekly feature highlighting students, teachers, programs and projects at Valley schools. Email suggestions for stories to news@dailyitem.com.