Note: This article was printed in the June edition of the First Alternative Co-op Thymes.

Corvallis School District 509J

Humane Studies Program

for a compassionate and ecologically sound world

I appreciate this opportunity to tell you about an exciting initiative I will be implementing next year in the Corvallis School District . The Humane Studies Program (HSP) is a part of the school district’s plan to offer expanded learning opportunities to our students and will be funded entirely through local donations. The mission of the HSP is to inspire an ethic of care that advocates individual responsibility for the environment. The program will foster reverence and respect for the earth and all inhabitants, human and nonhuman alike, and will encourage informed, thoughtful choices so students can help create a more humane world through their actions as consumers and citizens.

If we as a society ever hope to transform our fundamental attitude towards the earth from one of domination to one of connection, we must include our children in that transformation. As future caretakers of our planet, students need deliberate and thoughtful instruction about how to contribute to its welfare, rather than to its continued degradation. Young people are constantly exposed to messages from a variety of sources that promote unsustainable and inhumane practices. Unless we integrate alternative views into the educational experience, these ecologically unsound perspectives will continue to be reinforced. We must validate the importance of compassion and ecological awareness in the lives of our students.

The Humane Studies Program will emphasize the same ecologically sound and socially responsible practices that are modeled by several local organizations including the First Alternative Co-op, Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center , Institute for Applied Ecology, Heartland Humane Society and the Northwest Earth Institute. These organizations will be providing a variety of resources to the program, and I have been tremendously gratified by the level of support I have received so far in the early stages of this endeavor.

The first component of the Humane Studies Program is a new course at Crescent Valley High School entitled Seminar in Human Ecology & Environmental Ethics. This 18-week course enhances current district science offerings due to its unique focus on the relationship between humans and the environment. Rather than concentrating on the more traditional technical aspects of ecology, this course will emphasize the emotional organic aspects (our connections with the earth) as well as the political, economic and societal aspects. Topics of study will range from sustainability and species protection (both wild and domestic) to consumerism and globalization. Students every year want to know what the current ecological problems are and what they can do to help. The few days we are able to spend on these issues within the confines of the standard curriculum is simply not enough. This course will use engaging and up-to-date instructional materials and provide students with the time to explore issues in detail.

In the second component of this program, students enrolled in the high school class will complete a service-learning project allowing them to have an immediate positive influence in the community. Some of these students will mentor 7th graders using a curriculum being developed in collaboration with Heartland Humane Society. Called The Human~Animal Bond, this five-week mentorship focuses on building healthy relationships and fostering nonviolence by exploring and validating the unique interactions between humans and other animals. Some high school students may choose instead to intern at Heartland and help with a variety of activities that support the organization and benefit our community. By offering these service-learning opportunities, students' increased awareness about the value of our relationships with other species will be immediately reinforced by putting that awareness into action.

The third component of the Humane Studies Program is a series of interactive class presentations for all middle school students in the district. Lifestyles of the Eco-Friendly focuses on the decisions we make as consumers and the impact those decisions have on the environment. It is so important for students to understand that the choices they make all have consequences, intended or not. The goal of these presentations is to educate students about what those consequences are; offer practical, positive alternatives; and challenge them to make humane and sustainable choices in their everyday lives.

Just imagine what the world could be like if, as a result of our efforts in this community, every graduating senior in Corvallis made a commitment to live humanely, lightly, on the earth! It is my hope that this program will be one step in making that dream a reality.

Due to the school district’s budget shortfall, the Humane Studies Program will depend entirely on local contributions, and donations of all amounts are greatly appreciated. To make a donation, please contact Laverne Pitts, Executive Director of the Corvallis Schools Foundation at 757-5857 or laverne.pitts@corvallis.k12.or.us. If you would like more information about the Humane Studies Program, please contact Peg Cornell at 754-3984 or peg.cornell@corvallis.k12.or.us