New StoryWalk promotes fitness, literacy at Pine Grove

Pine Grove Area students read “Every Autumn Comes the Bear,” as they walk on the new StoryWalk at the Whispering Woods Nature Center Trail at the Pine Grove Area School district on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. ..DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Pine Grove Area students read “Every Autumn Comes the Bear,” as they walk on the new StoryWalk at the Whispering Woods Nature Center Trail at the Pine Grove Area School district on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. ..DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Pine Grove’s Carson Lengle, left, and Robbie Schaeffer, right, walk with third graders Owen Steele, second from left, and Lawton Mangine on the new StoryWalk at the Whispering Woods Nature Center Trail at the Pine Grove Area School district on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. ..DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Pine Grove Area students read “Every Autumn Comes the Bear,” as they walk on the new StoryWalk at the Whispering Woods Nature Center Trail at the Pine Grove Area School district on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. ..DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Pine Grove Area staff read “Every Autumn Comes the Bear,” as they walk on the new StoryWalk at the Whispering Woods Nature Center Trail at the Pine Grove Area School district on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. ..DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Pine Grove’s Robbie Schaeffer cuts the ribbon the new StoryWalk at the Whispering Woods Nature Center Trail at the Pine Grove Area School district surrounded by students on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. ..DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Show Caption

1 of 6

Pine Grove Area students read “Every Autumn Comes the Bear,” as they walk on the new StoryWalk at the Whispering Woods Nature Center Trail at the Pine Grove Area School district on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. ..DAVID MCKEOWN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Expand

PINE GROVE — Students from Pine Grove Area Elementary School marveled at a new educational experience Tuesday, touring a new StoryWalk exhibit set up just outside their school.

District officials and students celebrated the new StoryWalk — a series of panels depicting spreads from children’s picture books — at the district’s Whispering Woods Nature Center, located behind the school facilities.

A group of about 30 elementary students from kindergarten through fourth grade joined the ceremonial ribbon-cutting and got to read the featured book, “Every Autumn Comes the Bear,” set up on 20 panels along the Nature Center trail.

“I liked it,” third-grader Lawton Mangine said after touring the exhibit.

Stephanie Ziegmont, director of curriculum and instruction, said the project was funded by a $2,000 Live Healthy School Grant from Capital Blue Cross.

Ziegmont said Werner Lumber, Pine Grove, donated all the wood and cement for the StoryWalk, while graphic designer Captivating Dezigns donated a sign at the entrance welcoming visitors.

StoryWalk combines “physical activity and literacy into a fun, interactive walk in nature,” the sign reads. “Enjoy walking and talking with your family, friends, or classmates as you read the story together.”

While the district had some help in acquiring the StoryWalk materials, Ziegmont said, all of the work was carried out by Pine Grove Area students and faculty members.

“We only paid for the frames, the laminating, the books and the brackets,” she said, “so we ended up saving a lot of money that way.”

She credited the efforts of woodshop teacher Jeffrey Mack and Pine Grove senior Robbie Schaeffer, who put together the wooden StoryWalk frames and attached them to posts.

A group of Junior ROTC students, meanwhile, helped clear the trail and installed the posts, and will continue to maintain the trail year-round. The class is led by instructors Lt. Col. Matthew Farson and Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Bates.

After Schaeffer snipped the ribbon, JROTC students led the elementary students through the trail Tuesday.

“This is so exciting,” Ziegmont told the students. “I’m excited for you guys to walk through it.”

For its first StoryWalk book, the district chose “Every Autumn Comes the Bear” by Jim Arnosky, a brisk narrative about bears walking through the woods and getting ready for winter. Ziegmont said the next book will likely be winter-themed; the goal is to change books every two to three months.