Boots on the Ground

Outdoor experiences build character and complement the curriculum.

Hiking boots. Heavy wool socks. Rain gear. Brimmed hat. The gear list for SCH Academy’s 9th graders is as rugged as the five-day Outward Bound expedition that awaits them each August. But one item is conspicuously absent: the cell phone.

“When they’re outside doing a team-building activity together,” says Head of Middle School Meadow Pepino of students on group trips in Middle School and beyond, “they are relying on good old-fashioned communication skills: looking each other in the eye, reading each other's facial expressions, and having collaborative conversations to work through challenges.”

Thanks to its location, where the city meets the woods, outdoor experiences have been a valued highlight in the CHA, Springside, and SCH community for generations. Alumni have fond memories of orienteering trips and hikes in the Wissahickon. In more recent years, group trips based in nature have expanded; they are intended to bring students together in Middle and Upper School, tightening bonds among students, the wider community, and nature itself. In Lower School, students take part in an Outdoor Program in which they explore the woods on foot and bike, sometimes with their families by their side, and they explore nature from a scientist’s perspective through the Science Outdoors program.

At SCH, seemingly simple walks in the woods can transform into lessons on microbiology, while a curricular lesson on bird calls can spark a lifelong passion. From Pre-K onward, students are introduced to curricular and extracurricular outdoor experiences that foster teamwork, resilience, a love of learning, and stewardship of the land. While outdoor education is not SCH’s primary focus, faculty and administrators have long explored the rich connections between the natural world and academic pursuits, all with an emphasis on effecting positive change.

“Nature stirring our senses and generating awe and wonder is a profoundly generous gift,” wrote Head of School Delvin Dinkins in the front of this magazine. “Jonathan Haidt, in The Anxious Generation, has much to say about nature, that is, the changing nature of the American childhood and adolescence. Youth should be a natural time for discovery, challenges, and risks, essentials for healthy growth and maturity.”

Boundless in Upper School

Matt Norcini, head of Upper School, has been fostering the relationship between SCH and Outward Bound for a decade. He’s become such a proponent of experiential learning outdoors that he is also now chair of the board of the Philadelphia Outward Bound School.

“Outward Bound expeditions are a natural extension of our existing 9th-grade program with the creation of a positive group culture that emphasizes courage, integrity, thoughtfulness, resilience, and diversity—the same values we find in every SCH classroom,” he says.

Ninth graders begin their high school career on the Appalachian Trail, backpacking and rock climbing with their advisory, a group they remain in for the next four years. Led by a group of trained SCH seniors, they take on challenges at every turn.

“Through the intensity of the experiential crucible, you get, hopefully, a firm foundation for these relationships and their advisories,” says Norcini. “As the expedition progresses, the facilitators step back, creating space—many times, uncomfortable space—for the students to take ownership and leadership of the experience. It shows them that they’re capable of more than they thought. Most are coming from a single-sex environment in our Middle School and not only is it a great equalizer it gives them all common ground.”

Building community at every turn is core to SCH’s mission and a major “turn” is the start of high school. Since partnering with Outward Bound in 2010, more than 1,000 SCH students have been on an expedition. It’s a pivotal moment ushered in by this grand adventure.

“Belonging is a huge part of Outward Bound,” says Ava Szalay ‘24, who assisted with last year’s Outward Bound trip as a senior. “Everything kind of fades away in the woods: who you are, who you’re friends with; it’s all about being together. And you find yourself bonding with people who you may not interact with on a daily basis. And that’s part of the magic of it.” of this initiative, from the early years to the later ones.

“SCH is unique in how well the outdoors is embedded in our program through all three divisions,” says Scott Stein, chair of the Science Department. “This is combined with the environmental stewardship on the part of the school in terms of recycling, composting, water runoff management, and more.”

The first-year students learn to push themselves—and one another—beyond their limits. That sense of “high achievement,” a cornerstone of the program, hopefully carries into the school year.

“It’s an amazing bonding experience,” says Devin Gibson ‘24, who continued to support his peers beyond that weeklong trip. “I have encouraged group members when something was difficult: ‘You survived Outward Bound, you can survive the math test.’”

Science, Outdoors

Back on campus, the 9th graders are part of a community that values outdoor learning. Science teachers in every division are at the heart

During “Science Outdoors,” as it is officially called in the Lower School, students “practice science skills, especially observation, making predictions, and experimentation,” says Carie Szalay, a Lower School science teacher. “This includes a study of phenology, noticing seasonal changes in animals and plants in the Wissahickon.”

Generally, the younger students explore outdoor science skills more generally while, as they age, they apply these skills through specific units.

“Lower School students explore a wide range of topics, from the sun and bees to owls and the tiny creatures living in our local stream,” says Stein. “We engage them in citizen science projects, where their collected data directly contributes to real scientific research. For example, to understand how climate change affects plants and animals, our students observe and record the blooming dates of tulips each year.”

In Pre-K, students are outside identifying the types of trees (deciduous vs evergreen), pond life, and signs of each season, exploring sinking and floating in the stream and pond during water unit, planting pea seeds in the gardens, flying maple samara and beech seeds in the woods during an air unit, taking temperature during a penguin and Antarctica unit, and looking for worms during an egg layer study. And that’s just the beginning.

Throughout Lower School, interdisciplinary studies mean that students are practicing native bird calls on their recorders in the woods or launching a hand-crafted raft like a character in Hatchet, a novel of survival and adventure, while also testing their rafts for buoyancy in the Wissahickon Creek. The cross-disciplinary approach is nothing new in the Lower School, but the recently adopted language arts curriculum, Wit & Wisdom, helps focus efforts around an essential question that leaves room for exploration outside the classroom.

In Middle School, students learn about the rock cycle, observing the wavy lines of metamorphic Wissahickon schist to understand how weathering and erosion shape the local landscape. They also learn about the ecosystem and food webs with a focus on what's happening in the local ecosystem and the organisms that live in it.

“Although students are often somewhat aware of more media-abundant ecosystems and food chains, such as that on the African savanna, most are unfamiliar with what is happening in their own backyards,” says Middle School science teacher Roy Moffitt. “It is effective to have a student be fully immersed in their local environment to gain a deeper understanding of that ecosystem and how their lifestyle choices impact that system.”

In the later years, Upper School Environmental Science students are actively engaged in studying the Wissahickon, investigating the spread of invasive species, and utilizing lichen to measure air pollution levels. Zoology students are delving into forensic science by analyzing insect activity on decomposing matter.

“The outdoors allows students to test their hypotheses, collect specimens, reproduce scientific experiments, and see things they have never seen (or noticed) before. Being outside engages kids in a way that sitting at a desk—or even a lab table—can't,” says Lisa Queeno, Upper School Science teacher, who also notes the importance of stepping away from technology.

In 11th grade Biology, all students take on stream and forest studies to assess the health of Wissahickon Creek and the surrounding ecosystem and analysis of water runoff around SCH. An Environmental Science and Oceanography field trip takes students to Island Beach State Park to study ocean and bay ecosystems, and closer to home they collect and quantify plastics on campus and in the Wissahickon and analyze microplastics.

Stewards of the Land in Lower School

Lower School hallways are lined with muddy boots, evidence that respect for the local land starts early at SCH. An outdoor Naturescape play space on the edge of the Wissahickon woods, complete with sustainability rules, allows students to use nature in play.

“Our students take time to focus their attention on the world and people around them in a setting that nurtures open eyes, ears, and minds. With quality time spent in nature, our students learn to become good stewards of the land.”

With LaMent as their guide, students embark on hikes and bike rides throughout the Wissahickon and other neighborhood parks. Parents also get involved, accompanying their children through the woods on various weekend excursions.

Aside from the formal Outdoor Program (and recess!), students are deepening their knowledge of art, history, storytelling, music, and more through hands-on activities outdoors in line with the curriculum. They can be found journaling outside, drawing in the forest, or simply stomping in the snow.

“Together we build an ethic of caring and respect for this resource that is theirs to protect and maintain,” says Jamie LaMent, the director of the Lower School Outdoor Program who has been taking Lower Schoolers on expeditions for more than 15 years.

Lower School students have demonstrated a commitment to environmental stewardship through their creative and practical initiatives. To reduce waste and promote sustainability in the past few years, they have crafted reusable lunch bags and designed branded decals for trash cans around the school, encouraging proper waste disposal and fostering a sense of ownership over their environment.

Recognizing the plight of birds, in partnership with an organization called Bird Safe Philly, they also took action by placing stickers on cafeteria windows to prevent harmful collisions, showcasing their compassion and understanding of the delicate ecosystem.

"The variety of outdoor experiences significantly enhances the education of our Lower School students," says Douglas Wainwright, head of the Lower School. "The hands-on, boots-on activities not only foster a deep respect for the world around them but also build self-confidence, self-awareness, and problem-solving skills.”

Learning the Ropes in Middle School

In Middle School, students draw on the experiences from their early years, while also wrestling with more complex environmental issues from the effects of climate change to ocean health.

“One of my favorite things to do in 4th grade was trail maintenance where Mr. LaMent would give us assignments such as clearing the overgrowth off of the wooden boards and digging a mini trench to help the rain flow naturally underneath,” remembers Middle School student Tori Owens. “I still remember how much fun it was for me to get outside to the beautiful land that we have and, to this day, I still feel a personal connection to our grounds.”

Owens, now a member of the Middle School Eco Club, says she also valued having natural resources further afield to strengthen bonds with her friends and deepen her knowledge of the natural world around her. She visited Pocono Plateau in 6th grade for teambuilding activities, leadership strategies, and cooperative learning experiences.

“These trips are an opportunity for students to push themselves and take risks,” says Head of Middle School Meadow Pepino. “The camaraderie that comes from rallying around a nervous classmate: That’s really special and it most certainly translates to the classroom.”

Other excursions, explains Pepino, have an added element of service, including one to the Riverbend Environmental Education Center where students help remove invasive species and plant trees, among other tasks. Taking their appreciation for the environment to the next level with activism is a natural step, and it is one many students embrace during their Middle School years when they join clubs and spread the word.

This past April, the Middle School Eco Club interviewed their peers on video about their concerns for the school’s collective environmental footprint. The students spoke of fossil fuels, natural disasters, and waste, but they also expressed hope for the future and said they were committed to working toward sustainable practices. The video itself acted as an educational tool for the rest of the school. This spring, Eco Club members also coordinated a week-long cafeteria waste audit, monitoring and measuring compost, recycling, and trash.

“My hope is that we could cultivate a desire to care for our Earth in everyone that is a part of our community and then they would bring that into their everyday life,” says Owens, “and that it would not just live in SCH but instead throughout our surrounding neighborhoods.”

Coming Full Circle

The school’s emphasis on environmental stewardship through a collaborative approach has created a ripple effect throughout the community. Students like Mackenzie Hines ’25 exemplify this commitment. Selected as one of only 33 Pennsylvania students to become a “Young Ambassador” with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, Hines is dedicated to fostering environmental responsibility among her peers. Through her venture, Students for Sustainability, she's working to educate younger students about eco-friendly practices and revive the school's composting program.

“I want to inspire students with new ideas both in and out of school about the things we can do to help our planet,” says Hines.

Now, with over three decades of outdoor programming, thousands of SCH students leave the school with a mindset like Hines to take action and get outdoors. This year that mindset gave birth to a mobile app developed in the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership that helps people shop more sustainably, and Food Fuel, a semester-long research project focused on the process of converting food waste into biodiesel fuel.

The school is being recognized for its efforts. SCH was the first school in Pennsylvania to receive Bird Habitat recognition from Audubon Pennsylvania, thanks to student-led projects creating rain gardens and habitats for wildlife, and RecycleBank grants have supported the planting of native trees, shrubs, and perennials, as well as the installation of bird feeders and rain barrels. These efforts not only attract wildlife and support biodiversity but also provide valuable educational opportunities for students to study and analyze local ecosystems.

On campus, trails, and ropes, SCH students are communing with nature while learning the power of growth, renewal, action, and community.

BRB, we’ll just be outside.