by the Eagle Staff

“Conservation is not only important for our planet, it is also important to protect and preserve the resources in our own backyard for the future. We must be conservation-minded in order to work as a community to remain clean, happy, and healthy.” According to LCCTC 2024 Building Trades graduate, AJ Procopio, this is why he was driven to see the fruits of his labor over the last three years while working with the Conservation Club come to fruition. The results: a beautiful outdoor classroom crafted with love by the students in the Conservation Club.

To create this outdoor classroom – available to any class who wishes to use it, Mr. Nych, Procopio, and the Conservation Club spent the past 3-years planning, designing, and fundraising.

After all the materials came in, Procopio worked with the club to discuss the functionality of the project and, using the skills he has learned over the past three years in his shop and working with his father’s business, made a few blueprints so the club could decide on a final building plan. After the blueprints were approved, Procopio spent three days building the classroom using pressure-treated lumber and exterior screws. He laughs, “This classroom is built to last!”

“I am glad that I was able to provide a new way of learning for others,” Procopio continues. Though he won’t be able to use it as a student, Procopio is glad that students for years to come will be able to enjoy learning outdoors.

The Conservation Club fundraised by making and selling t-shirts and Con-Yegar spices. Money all proceeds were donated to the project. Additionally, we had an anonymous donor help with the remaining balance. “That donation was incredible,” states Procopio. “It really means a lot to me, and I have a feeling that the impact of their generosity will be felt by many others.”

Auto Tech senior, Dannee Karpik states, “I joined the club because wanted to learn more about hunting and fishing because more and more, nature is being destroyed; maybe if we learned about it, we could help that from happening. Being outside while I learn will make those lessons even more real.”

“Even our medicine comes from resources in nature – we need to learn more about how we can preserve it,” states senior Electrical Occupations senior Joey Cook, “and being outside while we do this makes it a pretty cool lesson.”

Nicolas Wilson, junior Welding student states, “I’ve never studied in an outdoor environment. The topics in Conservation Club are interesting, and I like knowing that my work with the club can make the earth a better place

“I like being outside, and keeping the environment clean is important to me as I study how to safely work in the Oil and Gas program,” states senior Chris Carbone. “It’s important to be ‘Conservation-Minded’ because we can keep the animal and plant species safe through the lessons we learn.”

For the conservation club, it was a truly fun and exciting experience. “While I was in school,” Procopio concludes, “I always enjoyed getting to hang out and go outdoors on the hillside to learn – this classroom with benches, a platform, and a podium will make the learning environment even better for studying English, math, history, science – and, of course, Conservation.”