Westminster College has a full schedule of events to celebrate Earth Week April 20-26.

Coordinated by the Sierra Student Coalition (SSC) and Dr. Helen Boylan, Westminster College associate professor of chemistry, the activities include students, faculty, and staff from all areas of the campus.

Leanna Stitt, Westminster College senior English and sociology major from Pittsburgh and SSC president said, "We wanted to do something to connect the New Wilmington community and the college students to the same overall vision: preserving and enjoying our surrounding environment. Many people have pulled together to make this a successful event."

Sunday, April 20, includes highway clean-up along Interstate 80; tree planting at the Westminster Field Station; and an evening Vespers service at the Edmiston Memorial Labyrinth with a meditation by Dr. Clarence Harms, Westminster College professor of biology emeritus and director of the Field Station, and music by the Gospel Choir and the Praise Team.

The Chemistry Club will be distributing Earth Day awareness items Monday, April 21, and a Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle, sponsored by Preston Motors, will be on display.

Sodexo Food Service will celebrate Earth Day-Tuesday, April 22-with "Trayless Tuesday" in McGinness Dining Hall, and SSC will plant flowers at the Peace Pole. Art professor Peggy Cox and senior art major Sara Lucente will give a papermaking demonstration, and Cox's Art 201 watercolor students will demonstrate plant prints and plant collages in the Art Gallery.

Cox will lead a public workshop on making plant prints, plant collages, and paper Wednesday, April 23, in the Art Gallery. A bonfire and poetry reading, organized by SSC and Westminster's Green Party, will be held at the Field Station.

Westminster's Environmental Science and Environmental Studies committees have arranged a screening of American Experience #38: Rachel Carson's Silent Spring to be shown Thursday, April 24, in Phillips Lecture Hall of the Hoyt Science Resources Center.

The April 25 issue of the Holcad, Westminster's student newspaper, will feature articles about the environment. 

The Earth Day 5K, organized by SSC and open to the public, will take place Saturday, April 26. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Field Station and an environmental education summer camp for local underprivileged children. The winner of the semester-long "Do It in the Dark" energy conservation contest will be announced at the race. For race details or to register online, visit www.westminster.edu/earthday5k.

Westminster associate professor of biology Dr. Ann Throckmorton will guide a public nature hike to conclude the week's scheduled activities.

Contact Boylan at (724) 946-6293 (e-mail boylanhm@westminster.edu), Stitt (e-mail stittlm@westminster.edu), or visit www.westminster.edu/green for additional information.