For Students at National Heritage Academies' South Canton Scholars, Every Day is Earth Day

Outdoor Education Program Helps Students Explore the World Around Them

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Earth Day is an important event for students to learn about what they can do to make a difference for the planet. That's certainly the case this year for National Heritage Academies students at South Canton Scholars who also take part in the school's Outdoor Education Program.

Students from Young 5s to fifth grade took part in an Earth Day Extravaganza on Tuesday with different stations to help bring awareness on protecting and preserving the planet. They made bird feeders that will help them observe critters from the surrounding woods, put together and planted "seed bombs," and battled in a relay race by gathering recyclable materials.

This was the first Earth Day Extravaganza at South Canton, but getting students outside for hands-on learning is a common occurrence since the Outdoor Education program was implemented three years ago. It's one of the perks of having open spaces and a park nearby with trails, trees, streams, and bridges, and the school is taking advantage of it.

"We're just really blessed with our campus," said Outdoor Education Teacher Laura Hurn.

Ready to enroll your student? National Heritage Academies operates 100 schools in nine states. Use our school finder to locate one near you: NHA School Finder.

South Canton's Outdoor Education Program was created after Principal Dana Gurganus saw how engaged students were at a fifth-grade camp a few years ago. Students at South Canton have several outdoor classrooms with benches and chalkboards that allow them to be outside for at least 15 minutes every day while getting hands-on experiences.

"A lot of them, anytime a bug would go near them, or they were out in nature, they were a little bit scared of it," Hurn said. "A lot of them didn't come to us with prior knowledge of some of the basics of outdoor life, and this gets them comfortable outside."

The Outdoor Education Program rejuvenates the students with a change of scenery where they can explore a project on their own or in a group as opposed to a typical lecture. That freedom gives them the setting they need to tap into what might have been an otherwise unknown area of interest and is one reason South Canton has outperformed the district for eight years.

"It feels different, obviously, than being inside in the classroom," Hurn said. "A lot of what I like is that we see kids that maybe aren't thriving in reading and math be able to find their purpose in outdoor ed in a hands-on type thing. They get really excited when I take them off of the trail and let them do a little bit of exploring and get to see what they're able to observe and come up with different conclusions on their own."

Want to learn more about how NHA supports teachers and students to achieve at National Heritage Academies partner-schools? Visit nhaschools.com.

About National Heritage Academies:
National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 68,000 students in kindergarten through 12^th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find the nearest charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies