LABELLE — The 15h Annual “Call of the Wild” Earth Week field trip activities sponsored by Hendry LaBelle Recreation were held April 22-25, 2025.  More than 800 elementary students participated in this annual event including second, third and fourth grade students from LaBelle Elementary, Upthegrove Elementary, and West Glades School plus fourth grade students from County Oaks Elementary. The students from the 43 classrooms rotated through five fun and educational stations at the Captain Hendry House and LaBelle Rotary Nature Park in LaBelle.

Florida Forest Service Forester Clark Ryals lead enthusiastic students on the “Call of the Wild Nature Walk” through the LaBelle Rotary Nature Park.

Hendry County Emergency Management Director Bob Pastula and Adrian Damms hosted the “Fire and Safety Station” featuring first responders from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Department, LaBelle Fire Department, Clewiston Police Department and the Clewiston Fire Department. Students learned firsthand about fire safety and how emergency, and law enforcement agencies work together for the benefit of our community.

4-H Staff, Sonja Crawford and Gwen Ash presented the “Worms and Composting” activity. At this station students learned about earthworm development and had an opportunity to dig in the soil, then capture, and hold an earthworm.

On Tuesday and Wednesday Mariota Theodoris, Project Manager/STEM Sport Coach from Florida Power and Light demonstrated FPL’s robot dog “Spot” and shared the benefits of using robots at FPL facilities.

An interactive presentation on “Effects of Tobacco Products on the Human Body and Environment” was presented by Emmanuelle “Manny” Perez Carrillo representing the Hendry Tobacco Prevention Program on Thursday and Friday.

At the station with Becky Rhodes, Hendry Glades Audubon Society volunteer, students experienced firsthand the effects of ultraviolet rays from the sun with UV bead bracelets and observed the effectiveness of various sunscreens. Becky also used the mural “Our Power, Our Planet” created by LaBelle Elementary art teacher, Jill Strickland, to discuss renewable power.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help make 2025 “Call of the Wild” a success. The LaBelle Rotary provided funding for the buses for LaBelle Elementary and Country Oaks Elementary students and the LaBelle Kiwanis provided funding for buses for the West Glades students. Special thanks to the City of LaBelle, Hendry/LaBelle Recreation, Hendry County Special Districts & Recycling, Hendry County Soil and Conservation District, Hendry County EMS, Mary Bartoshuk, Dr. Susan Cooper, Nikki Yeager, Julie Jeffords, Winn-Dixie and Save-A-Lot. This event would not have been possible without the presentations at various stations by first responders, Florida Power and Light, Hendry County 4-H, Hendry Tobacco Prevention Program, and Hendry-Glades Audubon.