OHA The Arrow_Fall/Winter2025

Oak Hill Academy is proud to announce the launch of Oak Hill Honey, a new environ mental literacy initiative that combines sci ence, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. The program began after Oak Hill Academy was selected as a recipient of three top-bar hives through the Virginia Beehive Distribu tion Program, a grant-funded initiative sup porting the establishment of new beehives across the Commonwealth. This exciting project introduces a student led apiary to Oak Hill’s campus, providing immersive, hands-on learning experiences Launch of Oak Hill Honey: A Hands-On Environmental Literacy Initiative

that connect environmental science, business, and community engagement. Students will gain firsthand knowledge of pollination, ecosystems, climate impacts, and conservation, while learning to monitor hive ac tivity and honey production through data collection and analysis. Beyond environmental science, Oak Hill Honey opens doors for cross-curricular collaboration. Students in marketing and business courses will explore entrepreneurship and brand development, while those in design and media will create product labels, content, and social media campaigns to share the story of the hives and promote pollinator awareness. The initiative also supports Oak Hill Academy’s Environmental Literacy Certificate program, expanding op portunities for students interested in conservation, agriculture, and sustainable business. Through future out reach and community partnerships, Oak Hill Honey will further engage local organizations and highlight the school’s commitment to environmental education. Significant progress has already been made to bring the project to life. Following the successful receipt of the hives in January 2025, Oak Hill science faculty member Ms. Rader and three students have been completing beekeeping courses through Wytheville Community College in partnership with the Mountain Empire Bee keepers Association. These efforts lay a strong foundation for long-term success as the Academy works to inte grate the apiary into classroom learning and campus life. ‘Bees pollinate around one-third of all the crops and wildflowers humans consume and are essential to the survival of our food systems. After completing a beekeeping course at Wytheville Community College last year, we [OHA Environmental Science Club] received our own bees in early September and are now preparing to winterize the hives. We’re excited about this new initiative and hope to help support the currently declining honeybee populations,’ said Maher Dhillon, senior at OHA. From classroom to community, Oak Hill Honey exemplifies Oak Hill Academy’s mission to provide meaning ful, hands-on learning that prepares students for college, career, and citizenship—all while protecting the natural world that sustains us.