At 7:00 AM on a bright Tuesday morning, the nineteen restless students from The Logan School for Creative Learning entered the airport, eager to begin their journey. The trip ahead required the group to travel five hours by plane and bus, leaving from Denver, Colorado, before eventually arriving at Echo Hill Outdoor School in Worton, Maryland. Led by their environmental education teacher, Matt Kohn, the 6-8th graders were prepared to spend the week exploring the Eastern Shore nearly 1,800 miles from home.
Deciding on this destination was no coincidence. In fact, EHOS was hand-picked by the students as a part of the final project for their travel unit at The Logan School. The project required students to divide into four-person groups and pitch an ideal location for the class’s annual Spring trip. As a part of their assignment, they assumed the responsibility of outlining the trip’s budget, itinerary, geography, and sustainability efforts and serving as the initial point of contact with the potential host organizations. As a class, they immediately saw the appeal in EHOS, ultimately deciding to split their week-long trip between the allure of the outdoor classroom and the urban excitement of nearby DC.
When asked what stood out about EHOS, the students excitedly spoke over each other, passionately sharing their recent experiences with the interactive classes, the engaging nighttime programs, the generous amount of free time, and even the delicious food. When designing the official schedule, Matt selected which of the ~15 classes offered at EHOS best suited his students. This unique scheduling option allowed Matt to decide on classes most specific to the area. Each class was wholly hands-on. In Early American Studies, students used oyster shells to scrape out a model of a dugout canoe, built a fire, and made popcorn over it. They were later prompted to consider how their lives were similar to those on the land before them. In Orienteering, students had to work as a team to use compasses and map their routes along the campus. They enjoyed learning about waste practices in Garbology, facing their fears in the Adventure course, and bonding through games, music, and nights spent making s’mores around a fire. A favorite of the group was the program known as Opinions, where students reviewed “The Lorax” in theatrical form. After the performance, they were assigned varying roles and encouraged to consider what environmental solutions would satisfy different groups of people in the real world.
Aside from classes, The Logan School students valued their extensive rest periods throughout the day. At their age, children are typically bombarded with assignments and structured programs that restrict their self-direction and sense of unfiltered wonder. To prevent these limitations, EHOS provides students with a safe space to build a community and let their imaginations run wild. One student, Sydney, reflected on this when sharing what she liked most about EHOS, “I think that’s what makes us gel so much with [Echo Hill]. Our school is really student-driven.” While The Logan School allowed them to design their own major trip, Echo Hill Outdoor School allowed them the space to truly enjoy it.
For many, the food was also a major attraction at EHOS. If the middle school lunchroom of my memory was everyone for themselves, The Whip dining hall was the epitome of collaboration. Each mealtime began with a gathering outside, complete with an offering of thanks to fellow classmates, educators, and the natural world. Students and staff worked together to set tables, serve food, and clean up while singing camp songs and sharing anecdotes from the day. The “magic chef”, Cindy Jackson, was a charming and talented woman who put together miraculous meals from cinnamon vanilla pancakes to
cheesy scallop potatoes and baked chicken. All dietary restrictions were accounted for, ensuring that each visitor was well fed regardless of their preferences, and suggestions were taken seriously. With her sassy chihuahua, Jerry Garcia, by her side, Cindy impressed any group that came through the school. At the end of each mealtime, students participated in “Slop Count”, where they combined their food waste and weighed it. In doing this, they competed with themselves for lower weights each meal and learned about the impacts of food waste. Slop proved shockingly effective with students gleefully pounding on the tables in anticipation of the final weight announcement. When they enjoyed their final meal together, the final weight was 0lbs. A meal shared among ~30 people without any waste is an impressive feat.
After discussing with the well-spoken, sociable students of The Logan School, it quickly became apparent to me why EHOS was worth the distance. I had the honor of experiencing the magic of EHOS myself while observing two incredible classes: Bay Studies and Scanoe. Run by the charismatic associate director, Captain Andy, “Bay Studies” was an exhilarating introduction to the importance of watershed health and estuary ecosystems. Captain Andy was no stranger to using humor as a learning tool, sparking giggles throughout the group as he pretended to have a taste of a soil sample. He ensured that each guest on his boat felt comfortable and cared for, introducing himself to everyone individually as he helped them aboard ceremoniously. The students were giddy, encouraging each other to hold the fish, and audibly gasping as new information was shared. They were even prompted to compliment the fish and give them a peck, a suggestion that led to endless laughter and shrieks. “I kissed a carp,” one student grinned, “Put that in the article.”
Swamp Canoe class, or “Scanoe”, was led by long-time class leader, Jake Swane, and was equally as exciting as the first. Jake led students across the swamp boardwalk, discussing the succession of the ecosystem and human impact on the area throughout history. They eventually reached a canoe raft where everyone had room to pile on and paddle through the landscape together. In 2015, Jake was first hired at EHOS with the intention of summer-long employment. Instead, he fell in love with the school and has taught there for nearly ten years. This was a common sentiment among staff who tested out assistant teaching positions on a whim and ended up unable to part with such an incredible place. A visitor of EHOS will often hear the senior educator, Amanda Fry, saying that hospitality is their specialty. No truer words were ever spoken. Each staff member was gracious, kind, and constantly willing to drop whatever they were doing to help a visitor or colleague. Even after a windy night huddled in sleeping bags, they remained highly engaged and welcoming to everyone involved.
The impact of outdoor education is in full force at Echo Hill Outdoor School and it is essential for the future health of our planet. EHOS inspired a sense of childlike wonder within me that is often diminished in higher education and the professional world. The students at The Logan School for Creative Learning feel this inspiration just as strongly. Seventh-grader Hari explained the appeal of EHOS perfectly, saying, “Out of the building is the best way to learn it all… there’s just something about getting out of the classroom.” While they gathered together to take turns petting an eel or holding onto each other to avoid slipping in the ankle-deep slush of the swamp, they were learning so much more about the power of nature than could be achieved in the silence of a classroom. These types of lessons spark activism and understanding in the upcoming generations, encouraging motivation for environmental problem-solving that has the potential to last a lifetime. Without engaging, informative, and optimistic programs like those at EHOS, environmental health suffers and young environmentalists lose hope. Captain Andy conveyed this perfectly while addressing his class: “Humans figure things out,” he said confidently. “We can do this. That’s the good thing.”
Cailey Tebow is a Salisbury University grad with a passion for the environment and journalism.
Rick Balaban says
Echo Hill Outdoor School has been having this kind of impact for 51 years. 51. It’s a phenomenal resource for its students and for its community. Long may it continue.