Small Steps to Change the World
"FLIPPY" the WHALE
As part of the kick-off event at our first Earthtober (2019), attendees brought their non-recyclable plastic from home to create a pile on the courthouse steps to illustrate the problem of plastic pollution. Then the issue arose of what to do with all that plastic. The idea hatched that a life-sized whale sculpture be created and filled with the plastic waste to display the dangers of the contaminant to oceans and the planet.
At that moment, the Whale movement began. VMI engineer professor Jay Sullivan agreed to build a whale with the help of his first-year cadets. They created a wire replica of the 15-foot juvenile whale that washed up on the shores of the Philippines with 88 pounds of plastic in its stomach.
The whale sculpture made its first migration from VMI to Bessie Weller Elementary School in Staunton. The students there learned about the issues of plastic pollution throughout the Whale’s week there, and, as a visual lesson, deposited their plastic waste into the whale. The Whale has visited many other area schools, as well as participating in the Christmas parades in Staunton and Waynesboro.
Financially supported by Earth Day Network.
Flippy's Migrations
2021 -
March 19-28 Rockbridge Area Schools
April 1-24 Earth Day Staunton, Sunspots Pavilion
April 25 Highland Co High School
December - Staunton Christmas Parade
2020 -
Jan. 6-13 Wayne Hill Center, Waynesboro
Jan. 20-27 Staunton High School, Staunton
Jan. 27-Feb. 3 Staunton Montessori School, Fishersville
Feb. 3-10 Shelburne Middle School, Staunton
Feb. 10-17 Wilson Elementary School, Augusta County
Feb. 17-24 Wilson Middle School, Augusta County
Feb. 24-29 McSwain Elementary School, Staunton
March 9-14 Clymore Elementary School, Ft. Defiance
(MARCH-OCTOBER 2020 COVID CLOSURES)
Oct. 31 EarthTober Celebration, Staunton - Sunspots Pavilion
Nov. 1-7 Tye River Elementary, Nelson County Schools
Nov. 8-14 Nelson County Middle & High School
Nov. 15-22 Rockfish River Elem., Nelson Co.
Nov. 22-Dec. 2 Rockfish Valley Foundation Spruce Creek Park Natural
History Center, Nelson County
2019 -
Nov. 4-8 Bessie Weller Elementary School, Staunton
Nov. 11-15 Ware Elementary School, Staunton
Nov. 18-22 Stuart Hall main campus, Staunton
Nov. 25-Dec. 2 Wilson Memorial High School, Augusta County
Dec. 2 Staunton Christmas Parade
Dec. 2-7 Berkeley Glenn Elementary School, Waynesboro
Dec. 7 Waynesboro Christmas Parade
Dec. 9-16 William Perry Elementary School, Waynesboro
Dec. 16-23 Hugh Cassell Elementary School, Augusta County