Mrs. Gilreath’s 4th-grade class at Banks County Elementary School has been named the first-place winner in the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture’s Spring 2025 STEM Challenge. They earned recognition for their creative and sustainable project centered around the theme "Reimagine & Recycle."
In partnership with Julie Jackson, outreach coordinator for the Banks County Farm Bureau, the students selected the school’s peach orchard as the focus for their project. The class researched how to increase the population of pollinators by planting flowers and constructing housing for bees and other beneficial insects using recycled materials.
With help from Mrs. Jackson’s husband, the class built a pollinator hotel from a recycled wooden pallet. The hotel was then filled with reused household items to provide shelter for various pollinators. Students also repurposed metal cans from the lunchroom to plant pollinator-friendly flowers around the orchard.
The class invited Mr. Curtis Chitwood, assistant principal at Banks County High School, a family member who owns Chitwood Peach Orchard in Franklin County, to offer expert advice on attracting pollinators to the area.
The class submitted a video documenting their work at the end of March. On April 11, they received the exciting news—they had won first place in the 4th-grade division. Their prize included a $250 gift card for future STEM projects, certificates for each student, a butterfly-growing kit, and a pizza party hosted by the local Farm Bureau on May 9.
Dr. Perry, principal of Banks County Elementary School, stated she was incredibly proud of Mrs. Gilreath and her students for their innovation, teamwork, and commitment to the project. She also recognized the importance of the class’s partnership with Mrs. Julie Jackson and the Farm Bureau.