Under the leadership of teacher Susan Lindner, students at the Lynbrook School District’s Waverly Park School have been doing their part to become world and local ecologists.

Ms. Lindner began by teaching her students about the fragile ecology of the Galapagos Islands. She explained how the fates of the endemic creatures and the domestic animals of the islands are tied together, and that to protect the delicate ecosystem, it is especially important to spay and neuter domestic creatures and treat them to prevent the spread of disease. With this lesson in mind, students began doing chores to earn money to help Darwin Animal Doctors, Inc., an organization that spays, neuters and cares for injured domestic animals in the Galapagos.

Through their efforts, third graders raised $145 to help with the district’s efforts. To help them see how their donations have been put to use, Ms. Lindner arranged for the children to chat with a representative for Darwin Animal Doctors via Skype.

Also under Ms. Lindner’s direction, the entire school participated in a reusable lunch bag fundraiser. The school sold over 60 reusable lunch bags in an effort to support recycling. The proceeds from the sale will be used to help with the upkeep of the school’s 9/11 Memorial Garden. Jaclyn Miller's third-grade class purchased the most bags, earning them a pizza party for their efforts.