WALWORTH BARBOUR AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOl
Nature Reserve
The purpose of our nature reserve is to represent what Even Yehuda looked like 150 years ago before it was changed into farmland for growing crops. However, there are multiple research projects going on in the GAIA nature reserve. We have seven species of endangered flowers including the Beirut Mullen and the Poleg Iris; also, there are two species of endangered amphibians. In addition to the endangered species committee, we have multiple biblical subspecies of grapevines, pomegranate trees, and fig trees.
Trash to Treasure (GAIA Store)
The trash to treasure committee is responsible for upcycling and researching the devastating effects of the fashion industry on our planet. Trash to Treasure sew candy wrappers together to make bags and upcycle many other forms of trash into new and fashionable items. In addition, the committee is responsible for the annual GAIA second-hand sale, which has become a great success over the past few years.
Wildlife Alliance
GAIA WBAIS is assisting the Wildlife Alliance in Cambodia. Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit organization on the ground protection of forests and wildlife in Cambodia. The organization is at the forefront of fighting the illegal wildlife trade to prevent future pandemics and to save endangered species. Together with Wildlife Alliance, we (the GAIA project) are helping in the commune Prombai Mom in Cambodia. This Community Conservation Support Project is helping rangers who are protecting the banteng wild cattle population and other wildlife animals on the IUCN list. We in GAIA are supporting the building of a ranger station there, which we can make possible by selling snare bracelets.
To learn more about Wildlife Alliance, click here
Owl Pellet Study
The GAIA Owl Pellet Project is in collaboration with The Charter Group of Wildlife Ecology. This project is presently the largest citizen science project in Israel and is supported by the Ministry of Education. Owl Pellets are collected from various points in the Hula Nature Reserve Area and other localities in the Galilee Region. Students receive a research kit once their teacher(s) have gone through a workshop seminar hosted by GAIA and Dr. Motti Charter. The Owl Pellet Kits help research conservationists identify the types of rodents in a specific area and the possible movement of these rodents from one area to another. Students learn to identify the skull and jaw (teeth) within the contents of the pellet. The results of the survey are then returned to the researchers to confirm the findings and added to the active database. Additional activities aligned with the structure and function of the skeletal system are also taught to students ranging from grades 7-12.
Live Owl Cam
Presently there is a breeding pair of owls on the WBAIS Campus in Even Yehuda. In order to access the GAIA Bird Cam, please visit The Charter Group of Wildlife Ecology and then search for the Barn Owls Cam 1. If there is a red flag at the bottom right that indicates if it is LIVE, then use that link.
Nectar Feeders
Palestinian Sunbirds are the only nectar-feeding birds in Israel. Although we don’t have Hummingbirds, Palestinian Sunbirds are quite similar. We have started a new experiment, called the nectar-feeding project, in order to learn about the food preferences of the Palestinian Sunbird. We created four different variations of sugar water, in order to determine which percentage the Sunbirds prefer. We created a solution that was 0% sugar, 10% sugar, 20% sugar, and 33% sugar. We placed one of each solution into a bird-feeder, and we hung them on a wooden plank on a tree in the WBAIS campus. We determined that along with sugar percentages, the order of bird-feeders may have an effect on which feeder the birds decide to eat from. Therefore, when we take measurements every Monday, we rearrange the order of the bird-feeders. By the end of a couple of weeks, whichever bird feeder has the lowest relative amount of food, will ultimately be the Sunbird’s food preference.
Vulture Project
Tracking Griffon Vultures in cooperation with The Charter Group of Wildlife Ecology.
Insectivore Bats
Students will build and provide artificial housing for microbats (insectivore bats) to create new habitats for these endangered species. Due to habitat destruction and fragmentation, these bats have fewer places in which to reside. GAIA will be setting up artificial bat boxes in numerous locations in Israel to monitor the types of species that occupy these boxes, their status on the ICUN Red list, and look at ways to help enable the growth of their populations.
AIS Apiary
As part of the GAIA project, we have our apiary team where we are studying how to take care of bees, harvest and market our very own organic honey. Students from grade four, all the way up to grade 12 are engaging with bees through a structured program that fosters a deeper appreciation for environmental stewardship and biodiversity, as students learn about the crucial role bees play in pollination. Beyond environmental education, the program can enhance students' understanding of biology, ecology, and agricultural science through hands-on experience. Additionally, the apiary offers a unique opportunity for developing responsibility and teamwork as students collaborate in maintaining hives and managing bee-related tasks.
Watergen
WaterGen is an innovative company that specializes in developing technology to extract clean drinking water from the air. Their atmospheric water generators (AWGs) use a patented technology to produce water by cooling air and collecting the resulting condensation, which is then filtered and purified.
The GAIA Project at the Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel has implemented WaterGen's technology to produce over 1,000 liters of water daily. This setup provides a reliable and sustainable source of clean drinking water for students and staff, particularly valuable in our region where water scarcity is an issue. The system not only ensures a constant supply of fresh water but also serves as an educational tool, demonstrating the importance of water conservation and innovative solutions to environmental challenges.
Flower Power
Flower Power comprises a dedicated group of middle school student volunteers with GAIA Junior, a citizen science and community service organization. Every Friday, as part of a longstanding project called "Flower Power," ten students visit a retirement home in Even Yehuda to deliver beautiful flowers to senior residents. This heartwarming tradition, which has been ongoing for over 25 years, brings joy to the elderly community as the students greet them with a heartfelt "Shabbat Shalom." Through this simple yet powerful gesture, the students spread happiness and foster intergenerational connections, embodying the spirit of service and compassion.
Food For Families
Students at WBAIS involved in GAIA Junior are committed to supporting a local family facing food insecurity. Their goal is to ensure that the family meets their daily food needs, driven by the belief that well-nourished children have a greater chance of succeeding in education. By providing consistent support, these students aim to break the cycle of poverty and hunger, recognizing that access to adequate nutrition is crucial for a child's development and future opportunities. This initiative is one meaningful way they contribute to building a healthier and more equitable community. Our students deliver a weekly supply of fresh and packaged food for 21 meals a week.
GAIA Greenhouse
In the GAIA Greenhouse, we plant, we water, we build, we fix, we weed, we grow and we learn. It opens endless opportunities for us to explore and learn about with ease. Over the years, we’ve grown dozens of species, such as lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and so much more. We’ve even gotten the chance to experiment with several different large Hydroponic Systems and recently, Aquaponic Systems with dozens of fish. It also allows us to become creative with new, innovative creations that help to better our planet every day.
Heritage Trees
The heritage trees research project is a collaborative project between WBAIS and Hakfar Hayarok that focuses on increasing the genetic diversity of crops such as wheat, fig, and grapes. Through the barcoding of the genetic makeup of biblical subspecies of pomegranate, vine, and fig GAIA is able to learn a lot about the genetic makeup of these ancient subspecies, information that is very important to increase the genetic diversity of such crops; the higher the genetic diversity of a species, the more resilient it is to pests and diseases that can greatly impact a non-diverse population and result in food shortages. This research project includes 4 types of grape vines, 5 types fig trees, and 2 types of pomegranate trees.
Cat Project
The main goal of this project is to reduce the cat population on school campus through an adoption campaign, where cats currently living on campus who have the potential to be pet cats will be advertised through social media and school communications to the WBAIS community. Interested individuals or families can then reach out to members of the project to express interest in adopting a cat, and will then go through a short adoption process before bringing a cat home. However, as some cats do not have the right temperament to be pets, this project will also work to provide a safe campus for cats, students, and faculty by making sure all cats are healthy and safe to be around humans. We will achieve this goal by setting up a system of yearly vaccinations, and up-keeping a database of all cats on campus so that new cats can easily be identified and properly taken care of.
GAIA Google Earth
The Gaia Google Earth project is there to bring together all projects, places and photos and put them together on a map. So far Gaia's projects are in Israel, the Czech Republic, Cambodia, Uganda and Greece. All of these projects in the countries can be viewed on the Google Earth Gaia Map.
Air Pollution
We are launching our Pocketlab Air Pollution Project in eight different centers around the world. The Pocketlabs are small, portable, green boxes that measure the air quality index on the spot. This new project will allow us to accurately measure countless parameters such as carbon dioxide, particulate matter of different diameters, ozone, pressure, temperature, humidity, light intensity and so much more. We will track the air quality at different times, and different places. We will then come up with new, cutting edge solutions for some of our planet’s climate problems.