IN West Jefferson Hills Summer 2019 | Page 50

Jefferson Hills Intermediate School CHRISTOPHER VERY, PRINCIPAL Terrarium Project Brings New Life to Jefferson Hills Intermediate School S tudents at Jefferson Hills Intermediate School have a new favorite hangout spot. What was once a traditional display case is now the home to five different species of poison dart frogs. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of our students and generous contributions from the PTA, students watched the display case transform into an interactive terrarium throughout the course of the school year. Paul and Lindsay Shore, proprietors of Shore Thing Exotics, kindly donated their time and ingenuity to make it happen. Our very own JHIS Arts and Innovation teacher, Adam Gebhardt, put his creativity to work by painting and decorating the entire wall and turning the unique hallway space into a true piece of art. The final touches included the addition of nine frogs which have captured the students’ attention and piqued their interest in learning more about these beautiful creatures. Upcoming plans to enhance the terrarium include the addition of live- streaming cameras so that the frogs can be observed from anywhere at any time. Three television monitors will also stream educational facts and information about the frog species and their habitat. We look forward to experiencing the many learning opportunities that the terrarium will provide throughout the upcoming school year and the continued collaboration with Mr. Shore to provide our students with a wealth of knowledge about the plant and animal life that are now livening up our school. 48 WEST JEFFERSON HILLS