A school near Hehuanshan has incorporated stargazing into its curriculum as it takes advantage of recognition by the International Dark-Sky Association as a place with clear night skies.
Students and teachers at Cing Jing Elementary School in Nantou County’s Renai Township (仁愛) love stargazing, which is evident from a roofed walkway on campus adorned with star maps that are illuminated at night.
Visitors to the school are enamored with the walkway, the school said.
Photo provided by Cing Jing Elementary School
The school is far from major urban areas and is 1,725m above sea level, but with mountain climbing, stargazing and other nature activities, its students never get bored, it said.
The Ministry of Education has recognized the school’s unique curricula and helped fund its programs, while the Renai Bureau of Culture donated NT$186,000, which went toward building the walkway, the school said.
With the walkway, students can see the stars day or night, the school said, adding that the maps light up at night, lending a beautiful aesthetic to the campus.
Taipei Amateur Astronomers’ Association president Liu Chih-an (劉志安) donated a telescope, which has been invaluable to the school’s astronomy program, the school said.
“These resources are a great help to the school and I hope that in the future they can also serve as tourism resources for people visiting the township,” Cing Jing principal Chen Yan-wen (陳彥文) said.
The school was still looking at ways it could open the campus up to more visitors, Chen said.
It is closed to visitors during the day when classes are in session, but visitors are welcome from the end of the school day until 8:30pm, he said.
Visitors are welcome throughout the day on weekends, he said, urging people to keep the campus clean and dispose of garbage properly.
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