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Schools take learning to the great outdoors Photo by Laura Tolley
by Laura Tolley
osa Ledesma guides the Kerrville ISD sixth graders down a shaded dirt path next to the sparkling Frio River, encouraging them to use all their senses to absorb the natural surroundings. “I smelled the river,” one exclaimed when Ledesma asked what they experienced. “The wind felt cool on my face,” another replied. “I saw birds!” Some kids then stretched out beside the cool waters of the Frio and others relaxed on flat rocks as Ledesma talked about getting immersed in nature. The natural setting served as an important teaching aid. “At that age, most kids are navigating school pressures, social dynamics, and a lot of change, so through my activity I tried to show them how nature can serve as a tool for relaxation, emotional balance, and a mechanism for coping with stress,” said Ledesma, assistant director of Kerrville's Parks and Recreation Department.. The young nature explorers were participating in Kerrville ISD’s annual Outdoor Education program, an overnight camping trip held each fall that is open to all sixth-grade students. About 275 of the district’s 325-350 sixth graders attend every year. “Over 50% of Kerrville ISD students are economically disadvantaged, and most have not experienced an overnight away from home, so this is quite a unique and memorable experience for them,” said TASB President Rolinda Schmidt, a Kerrville ISD trustee. “It’s a perfect setting for students and teachers to experience camp life deep in the Texas Hill Country and bond in a nontraditional school setting.” Campers learn from experts in the fields of forestry, animal tracking, water and soil conservation, and entomology, said Schmidt, a longtime camp volunteer who teaches a knot-tying skill called lacing. Games, rock painting, fishing, and other activities round out the experience. They stay in groups in cabins. The Kerrville ISD program aims to build students’ connections with fellow classmates, teachers, parents, and community members while also fostering “a love of learning outside the school walls,” said Krista Thorpe, a sixth-grade teacher and the program’s lead coordinator. Community members volunteer to share their knowledge and experiences with students and help them develop career ideas and build support for skills they are learning at school. “Students give back by learning responsibility, citizenship, and service to others through activities and carry that back after the trip,” Thorpe said. While immense fun for the kids, the camp experience is a labor-intensive effort that requires the support of district staff as well as community sponsors, program presenters, and parent volunteers. But they, like so many educators across Texas, understand that getting students engaged in outdoor learning is worth it. Getting off technology and outside the traditional four-wall classroom opens up interesting ways to learn. Observing a butterfly’s life cycle offers valuable science lessons. Setting up a school garden can boost problem-solving skills. Time outside also reduces screen time, offers physical and mental benefits, fuels creativity, builds confidence, and improves social skills. “Any access to nature is good. Any chance to go outside is beneficial,” said Melissa Turnbaugh, a senior principal for education and innovation at PBK Architects in Houston. She designs schools with nature in mind and has worked on projects at Alief and Round Rock ISDs, among others.
issuu.com/tasb-org | April/May 2025 |
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