Literature Review

SEEDS, which stands for Seek Educate Explore DiScover, is an non-profit organization here in Blacksburg that unites a focus on the environment and the challenges facing it with educational programs for school-aged children to produce a brilliant developmental experience for kids. Through trips, service projects, afterschool activities, and day camps, the children are taught not only the names of plants and animals and where to find them, but also to veiw environmental issues with a global focus and how to develop their own talents in a way that will benefit society as a whole. The dream of Dave Deshler and Dr. Mike Rosenzweig, the two men who founded SEEDS, was to give kids an opportunity to learn about nature through experience and exploration, rather than the conventional methods of books and television programs.

Because SEEDS is a local organization that conducts no programs outside of the New River Valley area, the vast majority of information about SEEDS is found in the Roanoke Times, a small newspaper. Just after SEEDS was founded in 1995, a lot of information began to appear about it in the newspaper. In a May 1996 article titled "Science Sessions Scheduled", one of the programs SEEDS puts on for kids was described. In that same year, SEEDS summer camps appeared in the annual listings of summer activities for kids. The camps had a different theme every week, and it was not uncommon for enthusiastic kids to enroll in mutliple camps, despite the cost. An article in August 1996 entitled "Sowing the SEEDS of Learning" described how successful and enjoyable the camps were for the young children who participated. As the years went on, other articles about the missions and successes of SEEDS continued to appear. In March 2000, "SEEDS offers a Growing Environmental Program a Backyard Approach to Learning" discussed how the increased focus on environmental issues in Virginia schools is supplemented very nicely by the programs put on by Rosenzweig and Deshler.

Other articles are not primarily about the SEEDS organization, but rather about noteable members of the community. "'I Like Nature and I Like Doing Stuff with It' 10-Year-Old is Virginia's Youngest Stream Monitor", published in September of 2000, talks about Cody Ross, a kid who participated in SEEDS summer camps. He actually worked as a stream monitor, despite his age, and was as good as anyone at recognizing the sign of stream health. In contrast to this uplifting article, "Student Channeled Love of Outdoors into Helping Others" is a bone-chilling account of Julia Pryde. The April 2007 article reflects on the life of Pryde following her death as a part of the shootings on April 16th. Pryde was a dedicated and capable environmentalist, and one of the VT SEEDS Chapter's most active members.

The coverage of SEEDS has been mostly interesting anecdotes of the activities and members, designed to entertain members of the Blacksburg community. However, what seems to be missing is the bigger picture. SEEDS offers something very unique to children. It is no coincidence that people as remarkable as Julia and Cody come out of this organization, when it has so much to offer to the youth of today. I feel that for SEEDS to be truly appreciated, more depth must be put into the coverage of its mission and what it contributes to Blacksburg.