Central High School

Here at Central High School, we love the outdoors and all the possibilities it brings for authentic learning experiences.  Our new and innovative summer adventure program is underway at Hirundo Wildlife Refuge!  

These students spent the week exploring the refuge a bit and gathering some water quality information from Pushaw Stream.  We will be here for four weeks and each week has a different theme.  Week one was water; week two will be focused on earth science and geology; week three will be a unit on the atmosphere and climate change impacts; finally, week four will be focused on the wildlife at Hirundo and how each of the things we have studied previously are/will impact the refuge.  

Our outdoor learning space is special in that it sits in an area that has likely been used for hundreds, if not thousands, of years by Native Americans of the Wabanaki, the people of the Dawnland.  There is an archaeological dig site that was conducted some years ago that suggests this bend of Pushaw Stream was used as a seasonal hunting and fishing camp.  Just upstream of the site is also an old eel weir where local people would capture adult American Eels (not juvenile elvers, or glass eels, like people capture today) for sale to the market.  On our third day, we traveled by war canoe in groups of 12 up Pushaw Stream.

The students in this program are all doing the same activities, but working on earning credits in English, science, social studies and fine arts.  Mr. Dan Furlong brings his expertise in all things English and the writing aspects of our work to the program.  Students are keeping written journals and will be composing poems and creating a movie theme based on their work here.  Ms. Liberty Oko has a passion for the environment and biology and adds  that to our program.  She also is our certified Wilderness First Aid person on this journey.  Ms. Jessica Williams is our resident artist, is helping them sketch their findings and will be instrumental in helping the students design their final summative projects - a poster to advertise the movie they envision as an outgrowth of their learning here.  Dr. Mayfield brings his love for the outdoors and students and his familiarity with Hirundo for many years to give the program the headstart it needs to be successful.

Many of the students on this adventure have never done anything like this before and have expressed their enjoyment and enthusiasm and appreciation for this alternative means of learning.  Despite the bugs and the heat, all of us are really enjoyng being in this beautiful place and look forward to the next three weeks of fun and learning at Hirundo.  Many thanks to all who have helped bring this great learning opportunity to our school and district.