Shohola Students Learn to Be "Rain Barrel Rangers" Through New Environmental Education Program
Shohola, PA — On Environmental Day at Shohola Elementary School, May 30th, the Stewards of Twin Lakes, a local nonprofit conservation group, launched a creative and impactful new program aimed at teaching children the value of water conservation and stormwater management.
The program, designed for grades 1 through 5, included an engaging multimedia presentation, a vocabulary matching game, and a hands-on lesson answering the question “Where does rain go?” Students learned how stormwater runoff and sediment affect Pennsylvania’s streams and lakes—and what simple steps they can take to help protect them.
But the true centerpiece of the program was the unveiling of a brand-new illustrated children’s book: Rain Barrel Rangers. Each student received a copy of the book to keep, helping ensure the lesson sticks well beyond the classroom. The story written by Jeffrey McQuaid of the Stewards of Twin Lakes, with layout and design by David Borchart, an award-winning longtime cartoonist for The New Yorker, the book introduces two lovable Pennsylvania groundhog characters —Shohola Lola and Lackawaxen Jackson—who explore the world of rain barrels, runoff, and responsibility.
Illustrations were brought to life by Milford’s Susanna Pinchot, great-granddaughter of famed conservationist Gifford Pinchot, whose legacy continues to inspire environmental education across the region.
“This program is a perfect example of how creative storytelling and hands-on engagement can empower the next generation of environmental stewards,” said Terri Christensen, first-grade teacher, and coordinator of the school’s Environmental Day.
“Conservation has always been a part of our family’s mission,” said Susanna Pinchot, the book’s illustrator. “I was honored to contribute to a project that teaches children how small actions—like collecting rainwater—can have a big impact.”
The program also includes a lasting educational gift to the school: a fully functional rain barrel left by the Stewards for students to decorate and staff to install—creating a visible, on-site reminder of how stormwater management works in real life.
Grant Support & Broader Impact
This Rain Barrel Rangers book was developed and financed in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The book and program are part of a growing suite of educational resources developed by the Stewards of Twin Lakes and openly made available to any individuals or groups at no charge, which also includes materials on watershed protection, sediment control, and stormwater runoff remediation projects currently underway around Twin Lakes.
The Stewards are collaborating with partners such as the Penn State Master Watershed Steward Program and the Pike County Conservation District, working to educate both youth and adults while implementing real-world solutions to protect the region’s cherished waterways.
As Margaret Mead the famous anthropologist once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” The Stewards of Twin Lakes are proving that to be true—starting with the children of Shohola.
For more information on the Rain, Runoff and Rain Barrels program, copies of this book, or to support the work of the Stewards of Twin Lakes, visit www.stewardsoftwinlakes.org.
Shohola Elementary School Principal Dr. Nathan Kroptavich and Mrs. Terri Christensen, 1st grade teacher and Environmental Day Organizer receive a Rain Barrel for the school students to paint in art class and then to install at the school, and copies of Rain Barrel Rangers for the school library from Stewards of Twin Lakes Volunteers