Ecology Club gets a lesson on Baird Creek Chuck Cornish and Rosa Verhagen look over brochures as members of the De Pere High School Ecology Club meet with Baird Creek Preservation Foundation officials to learn about the parkway (photo by H. Marc Larson). Students behind Eco-Jam learn about the organization for which they raise money By Monique Balas News-Chronicle Although school was canceled because of the weather, seven members of the De Pere High School Ecology Club braved slippery roads Friday afternoon to get a lesson on the Baird Creek Parkway. Their classroom? The Triangle Hill Warming Shelter. The students have been working with club advisor Christine Fossen-Rades to organize their fourth annual Eco-Jam event today. The event will feature live music, food and information booths and will benefit the Baird Creek Parkway Preservation Foundation. Fossen-Rades arranged for the students to meet with foundation members to learn about the organization they are benefiting. The parkway is not far from De Pere, but is often forgotten when people are looking at places to go hiking or biking. "Sometimes our world seems a lot bigger than it truly is," Fossen-Rades said. And the kids who attended were certainly curious about the parkway. "I want to know more about the kinds of activities you can do here," said Sally Verhagen, a De Pere sophomore. "Sledding - is that it? I want to learn about the unique aspects of it, the parts that we are protecting; I'd like to learn more about those." Some of the kids recognize its benefits. "Compared to Mountain Bay Trail, this is the Cadillac of bike trails," said Chuck Cornish, 20, who has biked along Baird Creek. Cornish, a Bay Port High graduate, was accompanying two of his friends in the ecology club. "We were tossing around different nonprofits that benefit environmental organizations and Baird Creek seemed to be at the forefront," said Fossen-Rades, who teaches biology and environmental science at De Pere High School, explaining why she chose the foundation as the event's beneficiary. The preservation foundation plans to use the money it receives from the Eco-Jam to remove invasive species, develop trails and manage stormwater issues, said Charles Frisk, president of the foundation. Having the kids help out is "even more important than the money is," said Kim Diaz, vice president of the foundation. "That says a lot about how they feel about Baird Creek." The students said they hope the Eco-Jam will turn more people's attention toward the parkway, one of the last greenspaces remaining in the county, according to Steve Lambert, a foundation board member. "Hopefully the Eco-Jam will get more people aware of (Baird Creek) and check it out," said Katie Autjens, a De Pere sophomore. FYI Eco-Jam runs from 1-10 p.m. today at the Historic West Theatre, Walnut Street at Broadway. Suggested donation: $5 for individuals; $10 for families and groups.