You won’t see President Obama but you can drink some hot cider and indulge in a fun roster of activities such as microscope displays featuring local flora and fauna, a scientific drawing lab, and game stations where participants can win prizes at this Sunday’s grand opening of the Environmental Science Center at Seahurst Park

At the urging of former Burien city councilwoman and state legislator Georgette Valle, the Burien City Council invited the President but he is gong to be a no-show.

The Environmental Science Center (ESC), a Burien based non-profit promoting environmental stewardship, sustainability and academic achievement through science-based education, will launch the center at Seahurst Park on Sunday.
The public is invited to experience the building from noon to 4.

Opening festivities on October 23rd are free. Adults and children of all ages are invited to tour the display garden of native plants, learn about the building’s green features, and explore the beach and forest at Seahurst Park with a naturalist.

Under a long-term lease agreement with the City of Burien, ESC recently completed this $1.3 million renovation of a former caretaker cottage situated at Seahurst Park, just north of the turning circle and steps from the beach.

This new facility fills the need, currently unmet in South King County, for a family-friendly, inclusive setting where parents and children can engage in content-rich, enjoyable activities while learning about near shore and upland ecosystems as well as environmental stewardship.

The Environmental Science Center at Seahurst Park will host family programs on select evenings and weekends and will provide a classroom for students engaged in experiential field studies at the park during weekdays.

Seahurst Park consists of 169 acres of upland forest, a watershed with two freshwater streams, and shoreline over three quarters of a mile long. The park has been, and will continue to undergo a restoration to restore its beaches to natural habitat for forage fish and invertebrates.

The restoration process includes removal of seawalls to allow natural beach processes to occur. This location and restored set of ecosystems make the Environmental Science Center at Seahurst Park a unique facility in King County.

Founded in 2000, the Environmental Science Center is a not-for-profit organization providing a critical service by fostering a community of “citizen scientists.” ESC promotes environmental stewardship and sustainability to thousands of people in South King County through speaking engagements, festivals and workshops, as well as collaborations with a growing number of school districts and community-based organizations.

Working with children and youth is a primary focus of ESC, which offers school-day, after-school, and summer camp programs. In 2010, ESC served more than 9,000 children by partnering with the Highline, Tukwila, Kent, Renton, Seattle, Tahoma and Auburn school districts.

ESC programs maintain low student to naturalist ratios (typically less than 12:1) and align with learning standards to help teachers improve academic achievement in science. Increasingly, ESC works with middle and high school students and has developed programs specifically geared to their academic and developmental needs including mentorship programs with professional scientists focused on Puget Sound and restoration projects within their communities.

ESC’s out-of-school programs support kids in earning higher grades, improving school attendance and promoting healthy behaviors including a commitment to protect their environment. ESC works with Community Schools Collaboration, Neighborhood House, New Futures and Para Los Niños to present after-school and school-break programs on-site at low-income apartment complexes and public housing developments in South King County where underserved populations are already engaged.

During 2011, ESC will deliver more than 4,700 contact hours of environmental science education through its out-of-school programs, mostly free-of-charge to its social service partners and their students.

Because an average of 76 percent of the students ESC serves qualify for free or reduced meals at their schools, most of its classes and field studies are offered free-of charge to teachers and social service partners. To deliver these programs and provide transportation for students, ESC receives support from individuals, volunteers, governments, corporations, and foundations.

For more information visit www.EnvScienceCenter.org