Photo submitted by BOCES

DEKALB JUNCTION — Bees will be buzzing at Hermon-DeKalb Central School this school year all thanks to a newly-installed observational beehive.

The year-round hive was installed over the summer as part of an effort to help support and restore the declining population of honeybees.

Hermon-DeKalb Board of Education Vice President Mike MacCue, who is also a beekeeper, transported approximately 5,000 bees to their new home at the school in July.

Honeybees are generally considered to be the most docile of all bees and wasps, making them a good fit for the school environment.

Hermon-DeKalb is the first school district in St. Lawrence County to obtain a grant from The Bee Cause Project and Whole Kids Foundation for a beehive. It is one of only two hives implemented by The Bee Cause Project located in the North Country.

In addition to supplying the beehive and bees, the grant provides access to lesson plans for students in grades K-12.

Summer school students have already had a chance to learn about pollinators and their importance. This coming school year, all Hermon-DeKalb students will have an opportunity to observe the hive and explore the world of honeybees.

Assistant Principal Rebecca Hocking led the effort to work with The Bee Cause Project and Whole Kids Foundation.

“We are excited to introduce this new resource to all our students in the fall,” said Hocking. “We are proud to partner with these two organizations to bring more hands-on learning opportunities to HDCS.”

While bees are primarily active during the warmer months, students can observe them year-round since the contained hive is located indoors. The honeybees can enter and exit the hive freely to the outdoors.

“At Hermon-DeKalb, we are always looking for new and exciting ways to engage our students,” said Superintendent Mark White. “This is just another way for us to enhance the excellent educational experience our students receive at our school.”