What’s Right With Our Schools, Loftis Middle School Outdoor Learning Space
LAKESITE, TN (WDEF) – Students at Loftis Middle School know that the great outdoors are a great place to learn. They are committed to developing a multi-purpose outdoor learning space. That’s a great example of what’s right with our schools.
Neal Hanley is an 8th Grade Teacher at Loftis Middle School
He explains, “We’ve had this area, I mean this area has been back here but ignored you know. So, most of the staff and students never even knew that we had this wetlands back here.”
Cortney Fugate is also an 8th grade teacher.
She says, ” We have a grant from TVA um and that kind of kickstarted the project. We knew that this space was back here. And we knew we wanted to use it, but we weren’t really sure how. I actually have my eighth-grade classes. So, we have 195 students, I think. I have all of them working on this project. So, they are um they’re designing everything from the outdoor classroom to the garden shed. We’re going to have an apiary, and then this trail with an observation deck. But they are designing all of it choosing materials sticking to the budget. Um they’ve even reached out to some businesses to get sponsorships. They’ve really taken off with it.
6th grader Harper Kuffrey says, “Most of the day we’re stuck inside, and I think this would be a nice way to get out and see nature instead of just be in a classroom talking about it. We can like, look at stuff on a screen inside. But out here we can actually see the stuff like, and it’s better for us to be outside than inside all the time.
Cortney Fugate adds, “They’re inside a lot. Um and they want to be outside. But, uh we have an outdoor classroom. It just doesn’t get used much because it’s not interactive. It’s to them, it’s just somewhere else to sit. So, we want to give them a paved space, something safe, but also where they can wander off and do a little bit of adventuring; supervised of course. And we’re also wanting to put some picnic benches and stuff out here so that you know classes can come out and do homework or have an actual whole class down here.”
Neal Hanley adds, “You know so we have all this back here and it’s just never been access. So, a lot of the kids don’t really have access to nature, or don’t really realize that they have much access to nature. And… I know and, anyone who works out in in nature recognizes the benefits.”
Cortney Fugate concludes, “So, after this first day we’ve kind of laid the groundwork for the trail. And next weekend uh February 22nd and 23rd, we will be out here from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. And we’re inviting, encouraging everyone to come out and help us. Um whether you’re a community member or a Hamilton County School student, or family, we could use all the help we can get. I encourage anyone who wants to do something like this to look for grants. Um this was just an idea that our principal had mentioned to me. And until I really started to seek out ways to fund it. It wasn’t, it didn’t seem real, it didn’t seem possible, but with that kickstart that money we were able to actually get a jump on and get something moving.”
