August 2020
Your monthly news & updates
Our Mission
To ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world
MOUNTAIN UPDATES
As a facility of Greenville County Schools, we are following current guidelines prov ided by SC DHEC and are closed for all public programming until further notice. Please check our website or social media for details on when we will re-open to the public for all activities.
DEPARTMENT UPDATES
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY BUILDING UPDATE
We are really looking forward to reaching the finish line on the new facility. Over the past month, construction has worked on installing the elevator, skylight, cabinetry and polished concrete. Outside grading is being finalized and landscaping has begun! 
MOUNTAIN HIGHLIGH T - HOOPER PLANETARIUM
While the Hooper Planetarium and Charles E. Daniel Observatory have been quiet the past few months, there has been a lot of action behind the scenes. The latest priorities for these facilities are to find creative and immersive ways to virtually deliver content to both students and the public. Some student options include virtual astronomy lessons and virtual solar viewing lessons. For the public, a successful run of virtual star talks happened back in May. We are looking to bring those back, along with other virtual star parties in the future. Stay tuned for updates!
DID YOU KNOW?
…that three different Carolina Lizards can commonly be seen in our gardens and woods at Roper Mountain? When we are open to the public you can look for them in warmer months, often basking in the sun to warm up or seeking shade to cool down.
Have you ever seen a lizard with a blue tail? Young Five-Lined Skinks can be identified by their blue tail. As skinks get older, their stripes become dull and their blue tails disappear. Adult male skinks have an orange colored head.
Carolina Anoles are lizards that are usually green, but when seeking shade, turns a brown or gray color. No other lizard in our area can undergo such color changes. A defending or courting male might have a bright pink dewlap, or throat fan.
The Fence Lizard is gray or brown above with indistinct darker markings. This lizard has a rough appearance due to its keeled scales. Mature males have a bright greenish blue area on each side of the belly. Did you know that the tails of these lizards can break easily and grow back, to survive predator attacks? How many of these lizards can you find in your garden, yard or on your next hike?
SUPPORT THE MOUNTAIN
Spread The Word About Roper Mountain
Please consider visiting our Facebook page , TripAdvisor page, Google listing and / or Yelp page to leave a review and help us spread the word about all that we have to offer.
Give Back To Roper Mountain:
Have you considered making Roper Mountain one of the charities you support? Without donations, we wouldn’t be able to invest in the hands-on, story-based lessons children come to know and love when here for school field trips; we wouldn’t be able to be the “place of yes” for visitors who attend our public programs; and we wouldn’t be able to invest in our current and future workforce in the community. Please consider making a gift to Roper Mountain today .
AmazonSmile
You can now support Roper Mountain in the Amazon Shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations. 1. Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device 2. Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into 'Settings' 3. Tap 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. We appreciate your continued support of Roper Mountain, now more than ever. Thank you for allowing us to be a pinnacle of innovative learning, an engine for community engagement, and a national leader in science education.
THANK YOU COMMUNITY PARTNERS!
Visionary:
ABB
Duke Energy Foundation
Fluor Foundation
Greater Greenville Sanitation
Greenville Water
John I. Smith Charities
The Jolley Foundation
Ernest and Betty Lathem
Lockheed Martin
Michelin Charity Golf Tournament
Piedmont Arthritis Clinic, PA
ScanSource
Symmes Foundation
 
Explorer:
Community Foundation of Greenville
GE
Bill and Jean Schmidt

Voyager:
BMW Manufacturing
 
Adventurer:
Aeronix, Inc.
Chick Fil-A of Pelham Road
Milliken
Nexeo Plastics
Ron and Tommie Reece
South Carolina Charities, Inc.

Innovator:
Fluor
State Farm Insurance
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
We welcome feedback on what you like to read about or see more of when you visit Roper Mountain. Email Amanda Lenar to share your thoughts.
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