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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 9, 2018)
Wednesday, May 9, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 23 Nature: The planet’s best classroom By T. Lee Brown Correspondent Prominent technolo- gists from companies such as Facebook, Apple, and Google are learning to curb their own gadget habits. Nowadays, many of them speak out against the tech- nology they helped create— and they don’t want their children getting sucked into it. They send their kids to elite Silicon Valley schools that don’t allow iPhones, iPads, or laptops. Here in Sisters Country, most kids still spend the bulk of their school time indoors. Several public school pro- grams and a new crop of summer day-camps help fill the need for nature-based, off-screen education. Black Butte School Camp Sherman’s tiny school district contains just one school. It’s usually filled with fewer than 30 students, divided into two classrooms. “We’ve always had a pro- gram of getting the kids out- doors,” says Daniel Petke, school board chair. “They’re on a field trip once a week, every week.” Since the 1970s, students have gone skiing at nearby Hoodoo eight to 10 Fridays a year. Head teacher Delaney Sharp came on board three years ago, bringing with him an ethic of environmen- tal awareness and years of experience teaching outdoor school, skiing, and social studies. Kids do field studies on the Metolius River and at the fish hatchery, and learn to swim. There is a waiting list for out-of-district transfers, but all Camp Sherman resi- dents are eligible to enroll. Wildheart Nature School The founders of Wildheart Nature School in Bend rec- ognize the benefits of con- necting with the woods on a more consistent, long-term basis. Their summer and spring-break camps often sell out; they also offer programs that stretch out over a series of weeks, with specialized programming for preteens and for homeschoolers of all religious backgrounds. “We are really lucky to live in a region with a lot of access to nature!” says Amara Dreamer, program director. “There is a dif- ference, however, between nature recreation and deep nature connection. I believe the reason our program has been so successful is because we tap into the realm of childhood passions such as fantasy worlds, hiding games, and hands-on cre- ations as we are exploring and communing with the natural world.” SPRD Interim Director Kris Harwell of Sisters Park & Recreation District reached out to community members this spring. One message she heard: our kids need more than daycare and sports. They need nature-based opportunities and inspiring enrichment programs. In that spirit, SPRD will host Earth Keeper Adventure Camps for grades 1-5 this summer. Students will expe- rience nature, explore local plants and animals, and learn to become stewards of the earth. Originally launched for one season in 2012, the program was developed by local resident Jen Binks. In July, SPRD will host the inaugural Jim Anderson Science Camp, supported by Friends of the Sisters Library. The camp will use both indoor and outdoor learning components, for grades 4 to 6. Professionals from the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and Discover Your Forest will teach, with guest appearances by Jim Anderson, Elise Wolf, and others. Also in July, SPRD’s annual Survival Camp will educate ages 8–12, cover- ing both survival skills and ancient living skills. Pre- registration is recommended for all SPRD programs; some drop-ins are available. Sisters School District Some students gain access to nature-based education through SSD. About one third of the pub- lic middle school’s 8th- graders make it into ECoS (Earth, Community, Self), an “adventure-based outdoor- focused science community.” Seasonal retreats and outdoor school supplement indoor learning for 5th- through 8th-graders, according to sci- ence and ECoS teacher Mike Geisen. One group of juniors at Sisters High School each year learns a wide vari- ety of subjects—including stewardship, geology, and Dr. Thomas R. Rheuben General, Cosmetic, Implant and Family Dentistry Carpet & Upholstery ~ Your Dentist in Sisters Since 1993 ~ We are here to help you smile with confi dence! Winter is past...fl owers are coming. The turtledoves are singing in the land. 541-549-0109 35 yrs. exp. • Peter Herman, Owner | 304 W. Adams Ave. | Sisters 541-549-6471 PHOTO BY T. LEE BROWN Kindergarten students seed Whychus Creek with steelhead smelt under the guidance of Sisters Elementary School teacher Sarah Streigel. rock-climbing—through the rigorous Interdisciplinary Environmental Expedition program, known as I.E.E. Across town at Sisters Elementary, kindergarteners may be seen taking smolts to Whychus Creek (pictured) once a year. SES provides multiple outdoor recesses and occasional field trips for all grades. But the school does not offer significant outdoor or nature-based programming. “It’s a matter of staffing and scheduling. Tough to pull off,” Geisen says. “But we’re certainly working on many initiatives K-12 to get all kids outdoors and learn- ing experientially.” Kids also learn through partner programs like The Upstream Project, led by Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and supported in part by The Roundhouse Foundation. Realms Realms, a middle school in Bend, takes an “EL” (formerly Expeditionary Learning) approach that brings kids into a strong sense of community, pur- pose, and engagement with the environment. Roger White, principal, writes that this approach is built upon two traditions: Outward Bound’s focus on chal- lenge, teamwork, service and compassion, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s focus on active inquiry-based learn- ing. Bend-La Pine residents jostle for a chance to enroll at this popular, public mag- net school, originally formed as a charter. A Realms high school is currently launching. 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