Washougal students explore Steigerwald refuge

Even though the Columbia River Gorge Elementary School (CRGE) fifth-graders’ recent field trip took them just one mile from their school, it brought them to a completely different world, teeming with scenic landscapes and ecosystem diversity. CRGE students visited the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge in late September thanks to an outdoor learning grant funded by the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Recreation and Conservation Office. Guided by educators from the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership (LCEP), a Portland-based environmental protection nonprofit coalition, the Washougal fifth-graders received an up-close view of wildlife, including snakes, river otters, deer, waterfowl and insects, and took part in a series of learning activities that involved cataloging wildlife and native plants, and removing invasive species like blackberries. “The excitement in our students coming back from their field trip was remarkable,” CRGE Principal Hannah Hartman said. “We deeply appreciate these grants and working with the estuary partnership that provide such a valuable learning opportunity for our students. We are so fortunate to live in Washougal and for our students to be so close to amazing natural resources.” The Washington State Legislature funded the Outdoor Learning Grants program, administered by the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction with the goal of developing and supporting outdoor educational experiences for students in Washington public schools, according to a news release. The 2-year-old Outdoor Learning Grants program offers three outdoor field experiences as well as six on-campus lessons taught by LCEP educators as well as local educators. More than 900 Washington students participated in the program this year, including students from six Clark County schools. “Thanks to the (grant), we have a fantastic opportunity to enhance students’ knowledge and confidence in the outdoors through stewardship, exploration and observation,” LCEP environmental educator Sam Dumont stated in the news release. “As an educator, it’s incredibly rewarding to witness the curiosity, sense of empowerment, and collaboration that develop as we progress through our six-part on-campus lesson series and three-part outdoor field experiences.” The Washougal School District wrote the grant in partnership with LCEP, which “promotes student learning centered around local ecosystems and helps students understand their impact on the web of life in the natural environment.” CRGE teachers Marie Klemmer and Jennifer Perry are encouraging their Washougal students to use the data collected during the field trip on future lessons that connect back to the school’s science standards. “The educators from the estuary partnership do fantastic work in helping the students see real-world application of what they’re learning in the science classroom,” Klemmer said. “The high level of engagement and excitement of the students interacting with the natural areas surrounding our community is an invaluable learning experience.” During the field trip, students participated in natural area stewardship by removing the Himalayan blackberries that were crowding out native plants along the Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail, identifying different bird species and engaging in a multi-sensory exploration of nature using watercolors. “The hands-on experiences provided by the estuary partnership educators, both in the classroom and in the field, are critical to fostering curiosity and enjoyment of the natural areas around us,” Perry said. “Young students who are excited about nature grow into adults who care about the natural world around them.” The grant also provides lessons from indigenous educators from regional tribes, who will teach students about traditional food that was gathered by native peoples and the importance of stewardship of local ecosystems. Local students impacted by the statewide outdoor education grants also will have a chance to visit the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge for a canoeing trip and collect and analyze water samples from Gibbons Creek.

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