La Escuelita at Missions Springs
By Children Rising | February 1, 2017
Near the end of 2016, students from La Escuelita Elementary experienced outdoor education at Mission Springs in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This was La Escuelita’s first time and how it came about was rather providential.
A young eighth-grade teacher from La Escuelita named Ali McKenna reached out to Children Rising president Randy Roth, reminding him that he had baptized her in his former life as a pastor. Ali wanted to find out more about the Mission Springs Outdoor Education (MSOE) because Children Rising facilitates partnerships between various schools and Mission Springs.
Not long after, Stacie Daoust Burch, the director of MSOE, contacted Randy because an anonymous donor had contributed funds to send students to MSOE under the stipulation that this was to be the school’s first trip. Did Randy know any schools who would be open to coming? Randy immediately thought of La Escuelita. Between Randy, Stacie, and La Escuelita’s principal Jeff Franey, it was decided that La Escuelita’s two fifth-grade classes (the usual grade level) would go. Not only that, there was also enough money to cover Ms. McKenna’s eighth-grade class too!
Now that La Escuelita has been introduced to MSOE, we hope that this partnership will continue in future years.
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Check out what La Escuelita students had to say about their experiences in the outdoors!
I’m glad I came to science camp because…
this was my first time away from the city. My favorite activity was night hike because we learned about nocturnal animals and played the bat game.
… I learned some cool new things about nature. My favorite activity was the solo walk because I discovered how peaceful it can be, walking by myself in nature.
… it gave me a new experience away from home. I enjoyed the blind fold walk activity the most because I learned the importance of trusting others and being trustworthy.
Article by Randy Roth, President