Although some might balk at asking children to help in such a daunting endeavor, Gershenz has successfully challenged schools and individual classrooms across the nation to come up with unique ways to raise money to adopt threatened habitats throughout the world. Before developing the Insect Discovery Lab, Gershenz and colleagues had for years appealed to the sensibilities of youths and teachers through the use of slide shows, lively language, and engaging science and art projects. One Colorado school raffled off the privilege of tarring and feathering the principal, who had a great sense of humor about the whole thing, says Gershenz. I think they used chocolate and mustard instead of tar, but I can t be sure. At one high school, they simply sold carnations at the prom.
Every bit helps.
Checking his watch, Gershenz realizes he s running short on time before his next presentation. This one, at a day care center in Marin, will garner him a color photo in the local newspaper, accompanied by a few inches of text and the Center s phone number. As Gershenz fills his compact traveling cases with insect ambassadors from regions far outside this modest lab, he makes a final point. How we use the earth from this point on comes from what we teach here on out.