The outdoor classroom at John Hanson Middle School is a pretty well-kept secret, even among the families of students who attend the school.

When Kylie Hudson, an eighth grader, mentioned to her grandparents that she enjoyed the nature trail and surrounding area at school, they were confused. Hanson is in a populated area of Waldorf, there couldn’t be that much natural space around, could there?

At Hanson, there is. Founded in the 2000 school year, as a seventh-grade community service project, The Wetland was originally intended to be an outdoor classroom where students and teachers could study native plants and waterways.

Over the years, it has served that purpose, but Jill Locco, a science teacher, and members of the school’s National Junior Honor Society, imagine it could be more. They held a cleanup last year, installed some native plants and added painted rocks to a small garden on the grounds. “We wanted to expand it and make it healthy,” Valeria Paz Avalos, an eighth-grade student and NJHS member, said.

“A lot of it was barren, there were no plants,” Hudson said. “We needed to add more color and more life to the area.”

Hudson wanted to add a Little Library to the area, allowing students and community members to borrow and donate books. Students wanted to add more native plants hoping to attract wildlife to the area like birds and frogs, they wanted to conduct water quality testing to enhance what they were learning in the classroom. Then there were the picnic tables which had seen better days. If students were going to use this area as an outdoor classroom, the tables would need to be replaced.

All these ideas sounded good to Locco, and they sounded expensive. While the project would impact instruction, limited funding for the upkeep was a challenge.

Locco learned of the WUSA9 Eco Challenge, and entered. The challenge — sponsored by Washington Gas that donates $5,000 to winning middle schools in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area — aims to ensure a greener future, according to WUSA9.

Last month, meteorologist Topper Shutt visited Hanson to showcase Locco, her students and the wetlands project as well as to inform them they won the Eco Challenge, along with $5,000 presented by Andre Francis, director of strategic communications of Washington Gas. The school also get free continued professional development and educational materials from the Smithsonian Science Education Center.

Locco, who earlier this year submitted an application to the Eco Challenge, has taught at Hanson since 2000, the year the outdoor classroom was established. “This is a multi-generational labor of love,” she said of the area. “Each year we have kind of expanded it.”

It has been connected to a nearby nature trail, where a group of students recently ran into a flock of wild turkeys. Art students come out to sketch, and trees and benches have been added.

There are other ways students and staff can use the area. “The only thing holding us up was funding,” Locco said.  “We fell short on funds to overhaul the picnic tables. We want to do water chemistry testing out here too. It’s a great place for students and teacher to experience nature.”

Hanson is one of two schools that were awarded in the Eco Challenge this winter. The story is expected to air on WUSA9 Dec. 1.

Last year, Matthew Henson Middle School computer teacher, Derrick Blackwell and his students were awarded $5,000 through the Eco Challenge to build a garden to attract more bees and other pollinators to areas of the school grounds. 

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 27,904 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. 

CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).