The beginning of 2018 challenged me. Financial difficulties
caused me to move back home, suspend my education, and leave my job in Detroit
at the Michigan Science Center. I taught as a substitute teacher in my hometown
for the winter, but felt called to do something more, something different. I
began applying for AmeriCorps positions in early March and on the 26th of that
same month, I boarded the train for the nearly 2,000-mile journey to Elko,
Nevada.
Not long after my arrival, I was in the classroom
presenting on photosynthesis, pollination, and the creatures of Nevada’s
ancient Lake Lahontan. Though I had much prior experience teaching, this was
one of the first times I was able to come into a school and be the person
delivering the “cool science lesson.” I was not only teaching, but growing the
curiosity in young minds, and reminding the students that learning is not only
important, it’s actually fun.
During the school year and into the summer, my fellow
AmeriCorps members and I frequently visited the Elko Explorers at Mountain View
Elementary. We enriched this afterschool and childcare program through lessons and
activities covering dinosaurs, worms, and everything in between. At first, our
arrival was occasionally met with grumbles and a general disinterest in
learning outside of school. Quickly, our connections with the children and
skill designing activities grew, and so did the students’ appreciation and
interest. They embraced the opportunity to eat like insects do, marveled at the
length of a blue whale, and huddled together to see how many of them could
stand in a Tyrannosaurus Rex footprint.
As summer approached, I was given the somewhat daunting
task of planning and directing our first summer camp of the season. I had
planned and taught summer camps before, but they had never been the up-in-the-mountains,
sleeping-in-tents type. While in the Ruby Mountains, we went on hikes, swam in
the creek, and spent time exploring beaver ponds. It was truly refreshing to
spend five days outdoors with these wonderful kids, growing friendships and
learning outdoor skills. For some, this
was their first time hiking and camping, making it an even more impactful
experience.
We often complain about kids being glued to screens and
only finding entertainment through technology, but during the three weeks of
camp I was part of, I don’t recall once hearing a complaint about the absence
of electronics. It’s incredible how simply taking young people outdoors and
giving them the opportunity to explore the world around them seems to make them
forget about the devices they’d normally spend hours on. I don’t believe
they’re losing interest in the outdoors, rather, there are insufficient
opportunities for youth to embrace their curiosity and discover the natural
world.
I am so grateful to have been a part of Nevada Outdoor
School’s mission to engage youth and the community in the exploration and
appreciation of nature. As an educator, I have gained experience teaching in
new, sometimes challenging, environments. As an individual, I have had the fortune
to see new places while meeting so many kind and remarkable people. Thank you
to everyone who has made this adventure possible.
Alexandra
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