[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 7291]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER DEDICATION

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I would like to share with my 
colleagues a very special occasion for education. I proudly want to 
share in the celebration as Oglebay Institute announces its new and 
sophisticated 11,700-square foot Schrader Environmental Educational 
Center in Wheeling, West Virginia. The incredible opportunities that 
will be offered by this state-of-the-art facility characterize the 
Oglebay Institute's dedication to educating students and adults about 
science, nature, and the environment.
  The Oglebay Institute in Wheeling, West Virginia is a non-profit 
organization with a particularly distinguished mission of promoting 
lifelong learning in a variety of creative ways and areas. The 
Institute lends its support to the visual and creative arts, sponsoring 
regional and national artists in two museums as well as a fine arts 
center. By hosting numerous plays and concerts every year, the Oglebay 
performing arts department is equally important in adding to the 
cultural richness of the surrounding community. To promote regional 
natural history interpretation and preservation, the Institute 
carefully maintains 4.5 miles of discovery trails and a butterfly and 
wildflower garden in the 1,650 acre Oglebay Park. Such resources are 
well utilized in programs for regional wildlife education. The 
opportunities available range from nature walks to bird observation, 
and travel programs to celebrations of Earth Week. The environmental 
education department, whose accomplishments we honor today, caters to a 
wealth of individual interests while promoting universal environmental 
literacy and motivation. Particularly noteworthy in such endeavors are 
the hands-on experiences with various aspects of nature. In the program 
offerings such options abound; participants choose from among 
astronomy, maple sugaring and interactive computer simulations.
  For sixty-eight years, the Oglebay Institute has been a pioneer in 
this field of nature, science and environmental education, successfully 
coupling recreation with the promotion of environmental awareness. The 
new Environmental Education Center, with its exceptional design and 
ideal location, insures a great contribution to this vision. The 
Schrader Center's exhibition areas will offer interactive opportunities 
exploring all issues, ranging from the self-supporting nature of the 
Earth to our role as its caretakers. At the newly constructed cutting 
edge learning center, outreach technology will enable adaption of 
educational programs to extend education to local students and others 
thanks to distance learning. I have full confidence that the proximity 
of the Environmental Education Center to the expansive Oglebay Park, 
where many outdoor activities take place, will serve as further 
incentive to enjoy the remarkable opportunities available.
  West Virginians and tourists from across the country visit Oglebay 
Park and learn from the Oglebay Institute. For seven decades, the 
Oglebay Institute has provided education, culture, and recreational 
activities for crowds throughout the region. Among the eager 
participants are school groups who can gain hands-on experience at the 
new center.
  The Oglebay Institute's efforts to educate and fully engage are 
critical to an environmentally-conscious future, and worthy of our 
attention and praise. The Schrader Environmental Education Center will 
undoubtedly prove to be an enormous asset to West Virginians and the 
entire region as a way to improve our understanding of science and our 
nature. This is a special day for the Oglebay Institute and the entire 
Wheeling area.

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