Project Report
| Mar 25, 2024
Nature In The Classroom Is Being Recognized
By Ernesto Rodriguez | Executive Director
![NiceNews.com Summary of CBS News article]()
NiceNews.com Summary of CBS News article
As Spring rolls in and nature begins to blossom, so are our classroom tree ceilings. CBS News and Upworthy Magzaine have featured Nature In The Classroom. The articles, (links below), present well rounded stories about our project. NiceNews.com eloquently summarized our endeavor that you helped put on this path: “As a former school psychologist, Ernesto Rodriguez understands how important mental and emotional well-being are for a child’s education - and as a passionate landscape photographer, he understands even better the role greenery can play in improving that well-being. With his nonprofit, Nature In The Classroom, Rodriguez combines his areas of expertise, creating stunning ceiling murals of tree canopies for school classrooms that don’t have any windows. And students are giving the installations a thumbs-up: “I would say that it’s pretty great and beautiful,” one fifth grader told CBS News of being able to look up at the leaves as he’s learning."
But this is only half of the exposure that we are getting. The Drew Barrymore Show will feature us on June 10. The Conspiracy of Goodness podcast will feature an artricle and a podcast episode that will air that second week of June. Check out the articles in the links below. None of this would have been possible without your generous early support to put us on this path! For that I am forever grateful and cannot say thank you enough!!
Ernesto
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Dec 4, 2023
Tree Ceilings are Spreading Their Seeds
By Ernesto Rodriguez | Executive Director
Thanks to your support and generous donation our tree ceiling community is continuing to blossom. Since our last report this summer two more school districts have joined our community. An orchard is beginning to form. Ceilings were installed in Cathedral City and Santa Ana School districts in 5th grade classrooms. Here is what students were saying: "When I look up it makes me feel calm and happy." "When I look up, I see nature and it makes me energized." "I like the branches. It's like roads to a great journey." "It helps me feel calm and focused."
The teacher in Santa Ana offered this observation. "The ceiling inspired a big wave of change in the classroom. Since it went up, my room has underonge a transformation. It led me to make more additions to my classroom to simulate a more naural environment. The entrance to the classroom is arched with vines and flowers, and the students helped me make bushes and trees for the walls. They all seem more relaxed and happier. The sense of community in the classroom has also grown"
The last two installations bring the number of school districts where ceilings are installed to 10. The momentum is growing. Last, my biggest piece of news to share is that CBS News "The Uplift" has featured our project. They documented and interviewed 5th graders in Santa Ana coming in and seeing their ceiling for the first time. The segment will air in January. It will stream online at https://www.cbsnews.com/uplift/ Keep an eye out for it. Thanks again for putting us on this road!
Ernie
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Jul 23, 2023
Bringing Nature Inside the Classroom
By Ernesto Rodriguez | Executive Director
You were there to help us launch this concept of bringing nature indoors into classrooms. To bring the 40+ years of existing science that shows a myriad of mental health benefits to looking at trees or photographs of trees. It calms us, helps us focus and communicate. As we enter our fifth year we are begnining to make inroads into the education setting. The pandemic oddly enough has helped bring out the psychological benefits of having tree ceiling murals in classrooms. It has created mental health issues in about 25% of students, accoriding to the Journal of Medicine. The trees help kids manage anxiety.
The big milestone we have reached is establishing a partnership with SiteLogiq. A company that builds and refurbishes schools around the country. We will be installing ceilings in seven libraries at the Corning Union Elementary School District norht of Sacramento, and this is just the beginning.
A summary of our journey you helped start was published this week by Canvas Rebel Magazine, check it out on the link provided and thank you again for your help!
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