John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Newsletter Spring 2020

Cure Spring Fever at the Wetland Center!

Want to get the email version of our quarterly newsletter in your inbox? Email ldunn@wetlandcenter.com

John Bunker Sands Wetland Center 972-474-9100 • 655 Martin Lane Combine • Seagoville TX 75159

Visit Our Website!

March April May

Saturday, March 7

Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission; mem-bers free

Saturday, March 21

Boardwalk Getaway 10 a.m. –11:30 a.m. Free with $5 admission; mem-bers free

Saturday, April 4

Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission; mem-bers free

Talking with the Eagles 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Free with $5 admission; mem-bers free

Saturday, April 18

Girl Scout Environmental Badge Workshop 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Daisies to Jun-iors. Register now! 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Cadettes to Am-bassadors. Register now!

Boardwalk Getaway 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Free with $5 admission; members free

To register or for more infor-

mation, contact

Linda Dunn at 972-474-

9100 or

ldunn@wetlandcenter.com.

Saturday, May 2

Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission; mem-bers free

Saturday, May 9

Mudbug Run REI registration opening soon

Saturday, May 16

Boardwalk Getaway 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Free with $5 admission; mem-bers free

We’re open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first and third

Saturdays of the month.

See our events page for more information. To reg-

ister, contact Linda Dunn at 972-474-9100 or

ldunn@wetlandcenter.com.

To register or for more information,

contact Linda Dunn at 972-474-9100 or ldunn@wetlandcenter.com.

Photos by Tom Fleming Above: Indian paintbrush Right: Roseate spoonbill

Visit Our Booth at These Special Events

Saturday, March 14 Sunday, April 19 Pi Day Math Festival Oak Cliff Earth Day 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. AT&T Performing Arts Center Lake Cliff Park

Saturday, April 18 Friday-Sunday, April 24-26 Garland Earth Day Earthx2020 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Various times; see website Downtown Garland Fair Park

Make Summer Plans Now!

Start June 10!

See details

Start June 27!

See details

Since 2010, the

John Bunker Sands

Wetland Center

has welcomed

more than 45,000 students and 25,000 adults to

immerse themselves in our hands-on, feet-wet ed-

ucation programs.

Along this incredible journey, our team has in-

spired a generation of conservationists, protected

American bald eagles and solidified committed

partnerships to carry our message of conservation

literacy throughout Texas.

We’ll be celebrating our anniversary all year

and look forward to seeing you at these events:

• Talking with the Eagles on Saturday, April 4.

• The REI Mudbug Trail Run on Satur-

day, May 9.

• Wings Over the Wetland, our annual

fundraiser, on Saturday, Oct. 24.

• Guided tours on the weekends.

• Summer programming for teachers

and families.

Or just take a stroll on the board-

walk for a peaceful getaway.

You’ll find details on many of these opportuni-

ties in this newsletter and on our calendar. And

watch for coming announcements about addition-

al activities and plans.

Thank you for your continued support. See you

in the Wetland as we celebrate conservation!

John DeFillipo

John Bunker Sands (1948-2003)

Conservationist, sustainable rancher,

consummate out-doorsman

© Bill Nance

A nd then there were four. With an eye to the future, we’ve ex-

panded our full-time team. By Linda Dunn, Education Manager

When our teachers book classes here at the

Center, a common question is something like

this: “I have 110 students. Can I bring them all on

the same day?” We’ve always

had to tell them our maximum

was 60 because we have only

two classrooms.

But now that we’re looking

forward to adding two class-

rooms and an amphitheater,

we’ll be able to answer yes to

welcoming more students. That

expansion will bring with it the happy require-

ment of staffing more classroom hours.

So it’s with great pleasure that John DeFillipo,

our director, and I welcome Carol Garrison and

Stephanie Weber, who have been part-time educa-

tors, to our full-time team.

With these promotions, we’ve doubled our full-

time staff members to four. This is a big and care-

ful but exciting step for a small nonprofit like ours.

With their unique talents and abilities, Carol

and Stephanie have done amazing jobs with our

education programs since join-

ing us in the fall of 2017.

Completing our staff is Edie

Hilborn. She’s been an invalua-

ble educator here at JBS since

the fall of 2015. After a 33-year

career in public and private edu-

cation, Edie remains part time

by choice, and we hope that re-

tirement is not in her vocabulary.

We all wear many hats at the Center, and Carol

and Stephanie will now add even more responsi-

bilities as we increase our programming and ex-

pand the Center’s reach.

From left: Carol Garrision and Stephanie Weber

J oin us for a special event that will bring you

within the shadow of the eagle tower. Eagle photos by Tom Fleming

We expect our eagle pair’s latest offspring to fledge in late

April, and so for maximum activity in the nest, we’ve set our

annual Talking with the Eagles program for Saturday, April 4.

The progeny will be almost the size of the parents and pre-

paring for flight.

JBS Stewards Kathy and Bill Nance created and lead this

program. They took our eagles under their wing when they

became our first volunteers in 2011.

Thanks to Steward Tom Fleming for his dedication to doc-

umenting our eagles. Excerpts from his journal are below.

Follow us on Facebook for all Tom’s posts.

Journal Entry #11, Jan. 25: TERRITORIAL As I came on station this morning, the guard eagle made a flyby and gave me a scream. Sort of a “I have my eye on you.” After settling on the usual perch in the large tree (800 ft to the north), the eagle was har-assed by a mockingbird. That lasted a few minutes , and the bird then left after setting the eagle straight. The photo above shows the small bird momentarily perched. Its strategy was to fly and perch left and right behind the eagle in order to safely harass the perceived enemy.

Journal Entry #14, Feb. 17: WE HAVE AN EAGLET! The first few days of life are eat, sleep, grow and eliminate. But now we are at about two weeks. The time between feedings increases, and play/exercise time becomes part of the routine. Young eagles begin to regulate their body temperature, so the adults spend more time on the tower

above the nest. So it was today, with no sign of the young bird until the last few minutes I was on station. I was able to image our eaglet as it stuck its head above the crib rails. There could still be a 2nd eaglet several days younger and not as active … time will tell.

Journal Entry #12, Feb. 3: PROGRESS How can you tell if a chick has hatched? The behavior of the adults gives us clues. When there are only eggs, the adult will raise up periodically and move the eggs around (aeration) and fluff up the bed-ding. This only takes a couple of minutes. Once the chick has emerged, feeding becomes a major deal. One or both parents will stand near the perimeter (the crib rails) and begin to feed the chick. None of this can be seen, but you can see the adults’ heads bobbing up and down as they attempt to put strips of meat in the chick’s beak. This is a tedious process with frequent missed connections and dropped meat. The time needed for feeding usually runs around 10 minutes. Happily, this is what I witnessed today. I feel confident we have a chick. Just how many chicks will there be? The answer will have to wait until they are large enough to be seen as they stand up. That will take about a month or a little less. Don’t worry about cold snaps. Eagles raise and protect babies in subzero temperatures routinely.

Northern mockingbird: Bold, brash, brilliant mimic,

endless singer and our state bird. Find out more.

We’ll be hosting an environmental stewardship

badge workshop for all levels on Saturday, April 18.

You’ll have the opportunity to earn these badges:

> Daisy — Eco Learner

> Brownie — Eco Friend

> Junior — Eco Camper

> Cadette — Eco Trekker

> Senior — Eco Explorer

> Ambassador — Eco Advocate

We’ll also be offering the Brownie Bugs badge

and the Junior Animal Habitats badge for

individual groups this summer. If you’d like to

schedule a workshop in June, July or August

for these badges, please email Linda Dunn or

call the Wetland Center at 972-474-9100.

Even if you’re not interested in work-

shops, we’d love for you to come visit us on

the first and third Saturdays of the month to

enjoy our many fun events like our bird and

boardwalk tours and gain some outdoor skills

while you’re at it.

Environmental Stewardship Badge Workshop

Saturday, April 18

Daisies to Juniors: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Register now!

Cadettes to Ambassadors: 1-3 p.m.

Register now!

Register before April 15!

S ummer will be here before you know it, and we have an amazing lineup of

Family Fun Days ready to roll at the Wetland Center! By Carol Garrison

Join us for any or all of our awesome family-oriented summer programs designed around fun and love

of the natural world.

June 10 Before the S’Mores. Learn how to build a fire.

June 17 We Love Bats. Get to know one of our favorite mammals.

July 8 Architecture in Nature. Explore the engineering marvels of our outdoor builders.

July 22 The Wetland on the Rocks. Check out our amazing geology collection.

Aug. 12 Art, Naturally. Get crafty with natural materials found at the wetland.

Aug. 26 Fur: Wildlife Fashion or Essentials? Examine pelts to uncover the answer.

Family Fun Days at a Glance

When: Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Cost: $7 per student. One parent free; $5

per additional adult

Registration: Required

To register or for more information: Email Linda Dunn

Project WILD explores the fascinating world of wildlife and ecosystems using fun, hands-on edu-

cational activities. Find out more. June 11, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $20. Register and pay by June 5.

Wetland Extravaganza investigates the wetland using Project WET, Project Aquatic WILD and

Texas Aquatic Science curriculum activities. The cost includes overnight accommodations and meals

at the Wetland Center. Find out more. June 18-19. $100. Save the dates. Registration will open soon.

Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental education program that uses the for-

est as a window to the world to understand our complex environment, stimulate critical thinking and

make informed decisions. Find out more. July 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $30. Register and pay by June 26.

Photo by Carol Garrison

E njoy professional development in an incomparable classroom setting here

at the JBS Wetland Center. Register today to reserve your spot.

The three plant species most commonly used are

cattails (Typha spp.), bulrush (Schoenoplectus spp.)

and common reed (Phragmites australis).

Key factors for providing effective treatment are

plants that provide substantial surface area within

the water column for colonization by microbes (e.g.,

bacteria, fungi and algae), which provide the majori-

ty of pollutant remediation. Emergent plants that

have stems, leaves and a litter layer provide the

most surface area for microbial colonization, but

floating plants, submerged plants and even phyto-

plankton all support phytoremediation.

I always strive to use a diverse plant community

within the constructed wetland systems we design

and build and therefore plant several species. Cer-

tain species are the workhorses of the community.

Some provide food sources for wildlife, which in

turn introduce seeds from other species; others may

be important for erosion control along the edges of

the wetland cells. Diversity is key for a robust treat-

ment system.

The workhorses of treatment systems include sev-

eral species of bulrush, an emergent plant: giant bul-

rush (Schoenoplectus californicus), hardstem bulrush

(Schoenoplectus acutus), Olney’s bulrush

(Schoenoplectus americanus) and softstem bulrush

(Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani).

Cattails are another emergent species that may be

planted or just allowed to colonize. The cattails with-

in the East Fork Wetland are primarily southern cat-

tails (Typha domingensis).

Other important emergent species I typically use

in our planting plans include grassy arrowhead

(Sagittaria graminea), delta arrowhead (Sagittaria

platyphylla), swamp smartweed (Polygonum hy-

dropiperoides), three-

square bulrush

(Schoenoplectus

pungens), crow-foot

sedge (Carex crus-corvi),

pickerelweed

(Pontederia cordata) and

soft rush (Juncus effuses).

Submerged species

provide substantial sur-

face area within the wa-

ter column in deeper wa-

ter areas (3-4 feet deep)

as well as introduce oxy-

gen within the water col-

umn during photosyn-

thesis. Submerged spe-

cies typically used in-

clude coontail

(Ceratophyllum demer-

sum), longleaf pondweed

(Potamogeton nodosus)

and American eelgrass

(Vallisneria americana).

Other plant species

may be needed with water that has higher total dis-

solved solids and/or higher salinity.

Planting plans are customized based on the quality

of the source water and the contaminants that are

targeted to be removed.

Loretta Mokry is a certified professional wetland scientist

with 40 years of experience in environmental and ecological

studies. Plummer provided planning, permitting, environ-

mental services, design and construction representation sup-

port for the East Fork Water Reuse Project here at JBS.

Q: What are the best plants for cleaning the water in wetland systems?

A: Many species can be used to improve water quality, but three

stand out.

By Loretta Mokry, PWS

From top: Southern cattail, softstem bulrush, common reed, pickerelweed

© Kenneth Nanney 2018

1 Leading a double life. But so do all amphibi-

ans. The term amphibian comes from the

Greek and means “double life” because of this

group’s ability to live on land and in water.

2 A frog of a different color. Its hues range

from bright emerald, lime or olive green to

yellowish or gray. The duller colors occur when

the weather is cooler or the frog is resting.

Water, please. This nocturnal frog lives in

wetlands, wet prairies, cypress swamps and

the edges of lakes, ponds and streams with lots of

ground cover, aquatic vegetation and trees. It’s

most common from the eastern half of Texas

across the South and up the East Coast.

Smooth as glass. No surface is too slick for

it to climb, thanks to sticky toe-pads. At

night, it often takes advantage of insects attracted

by lights, so look for it clinging to the windows of

your house. During the day, find it on the under-

side of leaves or in other moist, shady places.

A froggy Punxsutawney Phil. The male is

such an accurate rain indicator that the spe-

cies is often called the rain frog. He vocalizes a

loud rain call to females when he senses wet

weather’s coming. Warm, humid seasons are mat-

ing time, and mating follows rain.

A creature of many names. This frog is al-

so known as the bell or cowbell frog. From a

distance, the male’s nighttime advertisement call

to females sounds like a bell. Get closer, and it’s

more like a series of quonks, queenks or quanks

(but not the famous ribbet), repeated up to 75

times a minute. Take a listen. Both

males and females also broadcast dis-

tinct alarm calls.

It’s all about the chase. The

more active the prey, which in-

cludes flies, mosquitos and insects like

crickets and moths, the more likely

the green tree frog is to run (not leap)

after it. In turn, this frog is prey for

snakes, birds, big fish and other frogs.

No parental investment. After

mating and egg-laying, that’s it. The tadpoles

have to dodge danger on their own.

Conservation status. While this species ap-

pears stable, amphibians are declining world-

wide and are one of the most at-risk groups for ex-

tinction. They breathe through their skin, making

them especially sensitive to environmental change

and pollution. Threats to tree frogs also include

habitat destruction, disease and capture as pets.

WetlandWild

T his striking JBS resident is one of America’s most common frogs. Meet Hyla cinerea, the American green tree frog. By Patricia Nichols. Photos: above, Tom

Fleming; below, Carol Garrison

Join us on a bird walk or wander around on your own. You might come eye to wing with one of these

beauties. They’ve all been spotted here in the spring. Click on the photos to learn all about them. Then

come visit. Spring is a great time for birdwatching at JBS.

Downy woodpecker

Red-shouldered hawk

Pectoral sandpiper

Little blue heron

American avocet Turkey vulture

Mottled duck

Tree swallow Eastern phoebe

Tufted titmouse

Black-necked stilt

The skies were clear, the

temperatures mild for a Jan.

4. Many of the fifty fervent

souls began their mission

before the sun rose and

pulled off their muddy boots

after it set.

Their aim was to identify

and count every last bird

across the 15-mile-diameter

count circle JBS shares with

Trinity River Audubon Cen-

ter, or TRAC, for Audubon’s

120th Christmas Bird Count,

or CBC.

The parties of observers

covered 287 miles by car

and 51 miles on foot.

When they finally rested

their binoculars,

they’d observed 133

species and 142,074

individual birds.

Their bodies may have

been weary, but their spirits

were high. The humans

were a-twitter about all the

birds recorded, but espe-

cially the MacGillivray’s

warbler. As the map above

shows, this warbler’s

range is usually considera-

bly to the west. This was

its first observation at a

JBS-TRAC CBC or on area

eBird checklists.

The day’s report is now

an important part of the

Christmas Bird Count—and

the warbler is a life bird for

those lucky enough to have

seen or heard him.

©Greg Cook 2020

CBC participant Greg Cook fortuitously snapped this photo of an adult male MacGilli-vray’s warbler at JBS. The Jan. 4 sighting was a first in Kaufman County or East Texas. Other CBC birds of note were 2 LeConte’s sparrows (left) and 2 red-breasted mergansers (right), both observed on TRAC’s portion of the count circle. Neither had been previously recorded at a CBC, but the sparrow had been reported on JBS’s eBird checklist. Participants also observed 7 bald eagles—our JBS breeding pair and 5 at TRAC.

Christmas Bird Count Results Photo by Caleb Putman, 2012

Breeding Migration Non-breeding

Map from Allaboutbirds.org

1. Pie-billed Grebe — 101 2. Eared Grebe — 1 3. American White Pelican — 166 4. Double-crested Cormorant — 1,235 5. Neotropic Cormorant — 30 6. Great Blue Heron — 82 7. Great Egret— 74 8. Black-crowned Night Heron — 18 9. American Bittern — 1 10. White Ibis — 46 11. White-faced Ibis — 6 12. Black-bellied Whistling Duck — 28 13. Greater White-fronted Goose — 503 14. Snow Goose — 4,743 15. Ross’s Goose — 3,205 16. Canada Goose — 244 17. Wood Duck — 20 18. American Wigeon — 270 19. Gadwall — 463 20. Green-winged Teal — 853 21. Mallard — 304 22. Northern Pintail — 331 23. Blue-winged Teal — 3 24. Northern Shoveler — 1,069 25. Canvasback — 28 26. Redhead — 35 27. Ring-necked Duck— 314 28. Greater Scaup — 1 29. Lesser Scaup — 89 30. Bufflehead — 190 31. Hooded Merganser — 27 32. Red-breasted Merganser — 2* 33. Ruddy Duck — 187 34. Black Vulture — 384 35. Turkey Vulture — 338 36. American Bald Eagle — 7 37. Northern Harrier — 31 38. Sharp-shinned Hawk — 4 39. Cooper’s Hawk — 5 40. Red-shouldered Hawk — 27 41. Red-tailed Hawk — 94 42. Crested Caracara — 7 43. American Kestrel — 37 44. Merlin — 3 45. Virginia Rail — 31 46. Sora — 54 47. American Coot — 1,655 48. Killdeer — 155 49. Wilson’s Snipe — 58 50. American Woodcock — 1

51. Long-billed Dowitcher — 41 52. Greater Yellowlegs — 57 53. Spotted Sandpiper — 12 54. Least Sandpiper — 184 55. Bonaparte’s Gull — 1 56. Franklin’s Gull — 3 57. Ring-billed Gull — 9,118 58. Herring Gull — 1 59. Rock Pigeon — 668 60. Eurasian Collared-Dove — 8 61. Mourning Dove — 255 62. White-winged Dove — 33 63. Greater Roadrunner — 2 64. Great-horned Owl — 7 65. Barred Owl — 7 66. Short-eared Owl — 1 67. Belted Kingfisher — 14 68. Red-bellied Woodpecker — 68 69. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker — 24 70. Downy Woodpecker — 51 71. Northern Flicker (Yellow) — 41 72. Pileated Woodpecker — 12 73. Eastern Phoebe — 103 74. Horned Lark — 7 75. Tree Swallow — 60 76. American Pipit — 175 77. Golden-crowned Kinglet— 4 78. Ruby-crowned Kinglet — 123 79. Cedar Waxwing — 315 80. Carolina Wren — 90 81. Bewick’s Wren — 4 82. Winter Wren — 2 83. House Wren — 15 84. Sedge Wren — 3 85. Marsh Wren — 35 86. Northern Mockingbird — 106 87. Brown Thrasher — 11 88. Eastern Bluebird — 78 89. Hermit Thrush — 9 90. American Robin — 573 91. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher — 1 92. Carolina Chickadee — 198 93. Tufted Titmouse — 70 94. Brown Creeper — 4 95. Loggerhead Shrike — 9 96. Blue-headed Vireo — 2 97. Blue Jay — 137 98. American Crow — 284 99. European Starling — 16,982 100. House Sparrow — 35

101. House Finch — 33 102. Pine Siskin — 1 103. American Goldfinch — 121 104. MacGillivray’s Warbler — 1* 105. Orange-crowned Warbler — 27 106. Yellow-rumped Warbler — 398 107. Pine Warbler — 21 108. Common Yellowthroat — 38 109. Eastern Towhee — 1 110. Spotted Towhee — 7 111. Chipping Sparrow — 27 112. Field Sparrow — 14 113. Vesper Sparrow — 24 114. Lark Sparrow — 4 115. Savannah Sparrow — 219 116. Fox Sparrow — 36 117. Song Sparrow — 217 118. Lincoln’s Sparrow — 42 119. Swamp Sparrow — 37 120. White-crowned Sparrow — 75 121. White-throated Sparrow — 203 122. Harris’s Sparrow — 128 123. LeConte’s Sparrow — 2* 124. Dark-eyed Junco — 122 125. Northern Cardinal — 256 126. Red-winged Blackbird — 69,063 127. Eastern Meadowlark — 23 128. Western Meadowlark — 2

meadowlark sp. — 530 129. Rusty Blackbird — 2 130. Brewer’s Blackbird — 152 131. Common Grackle — 8,237 132. Great-tailed Grackle — 13,140 133. Brown-headed Cowbird — 1,268 * Write-in species not previously reported in the count circle’s history.

TOTAL BIRDS COUNTED Species — 133 Individuals — 142,074 TOTAL PARTY TIME & DISTANCE (rounded; owling & non-owling) By Foot — 54 hours & 51 miles By Auto — 39 hours & 287 miles WEATHER CONDITIONS Temperature — Low 39, high 60 Atmospheric — Clear

John Bunker Sands Wetland Center &

Trinity River Audubon Center 120th Christmas Bird Count Report

Jan. 4, 2020

You can choose to run a 5K or 10K race. The

races start and end at the Wetland Center and

take you on the levees through the spectacular

wetland. And to complete the fun, there’s a

FREE 1K fun run just for kids!

Entry fees: The entry fee for the 5K and

10K is $35 for REI members and $40 for

nonmembers.

Everyone who signs up receives awesome

REI swag, a JBS Wetland Center 10th-anniver-

sary tech shirt, a breakfast taco or hamburger

meal with beer or soda, a map of the course,

and post-race refreshments.

Plus, there are great prizes for the top men’s

and women’s finishers.

Registration: Registration opens soon.

Watch the REI website. You can also register on

run day via mobile; no cash will be accepted.

The kids run requires no registration.

Packet pickup. You’ll have the option to

choose your distance when you pick up your

race packet. Packets will be available at the REI

Dallas store on Thursday, May 7, from 4-8 p.m.,

or at the Wetland Center at 8 a.m. the morning

of the event.

Race times. The 10K starts at 9 a.m., the 5K

at 9:15 a.m. and the kids run at 9:25 a.m.

So lace up your shoes, grab your buddy and

get out on the trail with REI!

C ome run with us! Put your trail legs to the test at the 3nd-annual

REI Mudbug Trail Run at the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center on

Saturday, May 9. REI Mudbug Trail Run

When: Saturday, May 9

Where: John Bunker Sands Wetland Center

What: 5K, 10K, free 1K kids run

Cost: $35 for REI members; $40 for nonmembers

Registration: Opening soon. Watch the REI website.

Or register at the Wetland Center on race day via mo-

bile phone (no cash accepted)

TPWD Angler Education

Instructor Training Workshop

Saturday, May 30, 2020 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

NTMWD Main Training Room

505 E. Brown Street Wylie, TX 75098

Cost: FREE

This is a free, fun, hands-on instructor training course which will help you teach others to fish

and care for our natural resources. Attendees will become Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

(TPWD) certified angler education instructors to teach fishing skills in their communities. TPWD

provides the curriculum, equipment (where available), materials and support to help certified

instructors successfully introduce others to fishing.

Registration Information - Attendees must be 18 years or older, and must pre-register with

TPWD for a criminal background check prior to the workshop. Follow the link below to learn

more and to register:

WORKSHOP REGISTRATION

Workshop Trainer

Jerry Hamon

TPWD Volunteer

Certified Angler Education Trainer

(214) 457-3407

revtcf@gmail.com

If you have any questions or need assistance with your volunteer profile, please contact the TPWD Angler Education Program at

512-389-8183 or education@tpwd.texas.gov.

LEARN HOW TO TEACH: WHO SHOULD ATTEND: