Lake County Gazette

Last week, students at Fairview PK-8 received a visit from HawkQuest, a non-profit organization dedicated to making education meaningful and fun while fostering respect for the land and stewardship of all living things.

HawkQuest educators brought four birds for the students to observe: an owl, a falcon, a hawk, and a bald eagle. Each bird was unique, and the students learned about the special features that help them survive and hunt in the wild.

The children were instructed to remain quiet as the birds displayed their talents. The hawk flew across the gym, grabbing meat with its talons, while the owl turned its head 270 degrees. Students took turns answering questions about different kinds of flight, predators and prey, nest sizes, and even learned that Benjamin Franklin had wanted the wild turkey as our national symbol.

The visit from HawkQuest was arranged by Fairview teacher and bird enthusiast Laurie Downey as part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness about biodiversity and extinction. The students learned about their role in protecting these birds and their habitats by keeping the environment clean and safe.

"I want every one of you to pick up one piece of trash a day," said the HawkQuest handler at the end of the presentation. "If we all did that it would have a big impact!"