Each year, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) students participate in The Great Southeast Pollinator Census. During this event, students identify and count the number of pollinators they see over a 15-minute time frame in a certain area. Counts from around Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida are then submitted to the University of Georgia Extension and The Center for Urban Agriculture. Students at Stripling, Roberts, Norcross, Lovin, Lilburn, and Peachtree Elementary Schools are involved in the project.

     Pollinator censuses are helpful because they track the health and population trends of pollinators. Knowing the trends is crucial for the reproduction of more than half of flowering plants and crops. Pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and other insects, play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and supporting ecosystems that provide clean air, stable soil, and diverse wildlife.   

     “This is an exciting project for elementary school students because they learn how to create sustainable pollinator habitats while generating useful data about pollinator populations in their school communities,” says GCPS K-5 Science Director Kristin Luthi. “It is a true integration of mathematics and science to solve real-world problems!”   

     Through the pollinator census, students get hands-on experience in environmental awareness, data collection, and creative problem-solving. GCPS students make an economic impact by contributing valuable data that helps farmers, researchers, and policymakers.