Raptor Force Descends on Temple Hill Academy
Holy Birds-of-Prey, it's Raptor Force! While it sounds like a great title for a comic book, this Raptor Force doesn’t wear costumes, but they do protect our world. Students at Temple Hill Academy had an unforgettable experience when Ellen Kalish, from the Ravensbeard Wildlife and Rehabilitation Center in Saugerties, New York, visited with a group of rescued animals, including raptors and even an opossum.
The visit featured Siena and Shy Ann the Red-Tailed Hawk, Hudson the Barred Owl, T-Rex the Kestrel, Linus the Screech Owl, and Opie the Opossum. These special guests helped bring to life the sixth-grade English Language Arts unit on youth activism, environmental protection, and the lasting impact of DDT on raptor populations.
Throughout the presentation, students learned about the role of each animal in the food chain, its nesting habits, and how raptors and opossums contribute to ecological balance. Ms. Kalish used diagrams to illustrate how predator species, such as owls, help control rodent populations, emphasizing their crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Students were also taught what to do if they find an injured bird—and why wild animals should never be raised by untrained individuals, even with good intentions.
“This experience allowed students to move beyond reading about the effects of pesticides and meet animals impacted by human actions,” said Charles Byrne, sixth-grade ELA teacher. “They made deep connections between the illegally kept birds in Frightful’s Mountain and the animals they met—some of which, like Shy Ann the Red-Tailed Hawk and Opie the opossum, who are perfectly healthy, but because they were raised by humans, they cannot be returned to the wild. These are real-life examples of how good intentions can lead to unfortunate outcomes.”
Students were also introduced to the story of “Rocky the Owl,” a tiny Screech Owl discovered inside the 2020 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree after traveling 170 miles from Oneonta, New York. Rocky was rehabilitated at Ravensbeard and successfully released back into the wild. Ms. Kalish shared excerpts from children’s books inspired by Rocky’s journey.
This event enriched students’ understanding of raptors and their importance, tying directly into their previous work with Frightful’s Mountain and research on DDT’s environmental impact. Temple Hill Academy is grateful to Ravensbeard and the PTO for making this memorable and meaningful experience possible.
Story and photos provided by Mr. Charles Byrne.
ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We鈥檇 love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!
