Like the scarecrows he helps build, Mark Warford is outstanding in his field.
For 16 years, the assistant principal of Bethlehem Middle School has been helping students build scarecrows to decorate the school’s grounds for fall. He said the project was done at both Guilderland and East East Greenbush before he brought it to Bethlehem.
“The kids seem to like it, and it’s become a tradition,” said Warford. “It helps celebrate the harvest season and has an overall fall theme.”
This is the sixth year the project has been done at Bethlehem with the middle school’s Garden Club. About 35 students came out to build the scarecrows with help from school staff on Thursday, Oct. 2. The students also enjoyed apple cider and doughnuts during break time.
Warford said the project is a great team-building activity and helps students meet new friends at the beginning of the year.
You really can’t build a scarecrow by yourself, you need to work with someone else,” said Warford. “It seemed like a great connection for the Garden Club and is seasonal and decorative for the building.”
Warford built the metal frames himself. Each year he pulls them out from his backyard where the leftover hay from the year before is composted. He then brings the frames back to school each October to become scarecrows for a few weeks.
The students use piles of hay that has been donated from local farms to wrap around the metal frames. Twine is also used to bind the hay in place.
“I’m very happy they found a home here at Bethlehem,” said Warford.