On November 1st, 2018, 5 students from City High School ventured up the Santa Catalina Mountains for an adventure in the high pine forests that floated above Tucson. This was a literacy class, with the goals of increasing the reading interest and levels, of students while being in the outdoors. Using the Arizona Trail, we began our hike from Marshal […]
Read moreOn September 12th, 2018, 13 students from Imago Dei Middle School embarked on an adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains using Sunset Trailhead. This was the first expedition of the season for this group of students, and one they were sure to remember for a long time. The students were ready for an adventure wearing uniforms and huge excited smiles. Our […]
Read moreNothing helps a person feel the fall vibes quite like a sycamore tree. Its red star shaped leaves carpet creek banks and offer an orange tinted light to the surrounding world. It was a perfect day for a hike, and Empire High School took full advantage of this. On November 14th, 6 students traveled into the Little Rincon Mountains in […]
Read moreThe first of the winter rains bring a sense of joy and excitement to every living thing in the desert. Some things seek refuge from the rain, but with Seeds of Stewardship, we chase the rain looking for where it pools and collects. This journey takes us into mountain landscapes and valleys, and for our sake we seek the places […]
Read moreJust an hour south of Tucson, the landscape transitions from a spacious desert landscape to a sea of golden grasses. The high deserts that surround the Sonoita/Patagonia area are filled with staple plants such as yucca, juniper, oak, ocotillo, and pine. The fauna types include pronghorn antelope, mountain lion, black bear, jaguar, ocelot, golden eagles, and much more. This diversity […]
Read moreOctober was the month we explored water in the desert. Like most deserts, where there is water there is life. Often a dense and diverse range of species, even the same individuals, cohabitating in a very isolated area. For Seeds of Stewardship, the soft weather months become our time to migrate to this place, and we become a part of […]
Read moreOn October days in the Sonoran Desert, everything begins to get a little quieter. The summer’s heat is still radiating, though slowly fading away. This is something the entire desert can feel, with cool mornings and comfortable middays, it makes for perfect outdoor learning environments. On October 17th, 9 students from Project More High School embarked on an adventure into […]
Read moreOn October 15th, 2018, 8 students from Empire High School Embarked on an adventure into Cienega Creek. Using the Arizona Trail and starting from Gabe Zimmerman Trail Head, our journey took us through a wild and changing landscape. This was the first expedition of the semester for these students, and what trip it was. Our mission was to explore the exotic […]
Read moreOn October 4th, 2018, 8 students from City High School hiked into Cienega Creek using the Arizona Trail. This was the second expedition of the semester. Our goal was to explore perennial waterways that connect the Sky Islands, and understand just how impactful these creeks can be to the surrounding deserts. As well, this is a literacy class and our partnership […]
Read moreOn November 9th, 2018, 19 students from Mountain Vista Elementary School embarked on a trip to Oracle State Park. This incredible place is right in the backyard for these students, yet too many had never visited. We hoped to learn about this unique environment by hiking on the Arizona Trail and searching for the plants and animals that characterize it. […]
Read moreOn October 10th, 2018, 19 students from Mountain Vista Elementary School took the long journey up Catalina Highway to explore Mt. Lemmon’s gorgeous landscapes. The top of this mountain has remained unexplored for most of these students, and with the changing season comes the gems of colors and fragrance. The youth were incredibly excited to learn and adventure in these unique […]
Read moreOn September 27th, 2018, 18 students from Mt. Vista Elementary School set out to explore Catalina State Park. This adventure was designed to let the students explore beautiful lowland Sonoran Desert landscapes, and teach them how to identify the different places the flora and fauna call home. Using arroyos, mesquite forests, and open rugged trails, we searched high and […]
Read moreOn March 20, 2018, 13 students from Miami High School embarked on an adventure into White Canyon, west of Kearny, Arizona. This was the third expedition of their semester, meaning these students were more than prepared for the hot hike they were about to begin. This area is a landscape of mountains and canyons shaped by massive volumes of seasonal […]
Read moreIt was the kind of outing we aspire for every time we take our students out. Magic was happening December 6th, 2018 when 19 students from the Montessori Charter School of Flagstaff bundled up in their winter best and made a trip to the Flagstaff Nordic Center. Our first and most important goals was to teach the students […]
Read moreOn September 21st, 2018, 10 students from Mansfeld Middle School embarked on an amazing adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains. With summers heat still swollen and boiling in the low desert valleys, we were all eager to escape to the high mixed coniferous forest. This was the first expedition of the semester for these students, and they were as excited […]
Read moreOn October 26th, 2018, 14 students from Mountain Vista Elementary School embarked on an adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains. Using Marshall Gulch Trailhead on the Arizona Trail, these youth were excited and ready to explore the pine fresh mountain tops. On this day, we all had the special pleasure of hiking with Ray Peale and Elisabeth Wheeler, and meeting […]
Read moreOn November 27th, 2018, 18 students from Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy had an introduction to map and compass navigation. In a world of cell phones and GPS devices, it can be easy to dismiss maps and compasses as irrelevant, but without this foundational knowledge it is difficult to impossible to know what one is looking at on a GPS […]
Read moreOn November 15, 2018, 120 students from Mount Elden Middle School APEX program went to the Arizona Trail on Forest Road 303 near Walnut Canyon for a day of trail work and exploration. With a group this large we need to break them up into much smaller groups to rotate through a variety of activities. Lessons with teachers, trail […]
Read moreOn November 14th, 2018 48 Students from Northland Preparatory Academy traveled to Gooseberry Springs Trail Head on the Arizona Trail Mormon Lake Passage to participate in some trailwork. Having learned from the day before, we changed the plans altogether. Though the day was slightly warmer and a lot less windy, the temperatures were still on the low side and […]
Read moreOn November 13, 2018, 50 Students from Northland Preparatory Academy went to Gooseberry Springs on the Arizona Trail Mormon Lake Passage to attempt some trail work and trail design lessons. It turned out, that though we studied trail design and cross slope a little, our biggest lesson was how to prepare for and manage very cold temperatures, frozen ground […]
Read moreOn November 8, 2018, 17 students from Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy went to Campbell Mesa to learn about trail design and do maintenance on the 2 mile Campbell Mesa loop. With plenty of help from our partners at the US Forest Service and Arizona Conservation Corps, the group was able to hike and repair drainage on the entire […]
Read moreOn November 6, 2018, 40 students from Mount Elden Middle School Alpine Academy joined us for a day of trail work and design. With large groups we tend to divide the group in half. One group learning about trail design and hydrology, the other group repairing trail. After a hearty lunch and, of course, cookies we trade. Students first […]
Read moreOn November 1, 2018, 48 students from Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School visited Aspen Corner and the Arizona Trail to build trail and learn about trail design and construction. Students dug drains, discussed hydrology, and practiced designing their own trails. Though the day was chilly, they kept warm moving dirt and exploring. Experts from the US Forest Service were […]
Read moreOn October 30, 2018, 38 students from Mount Elden Middle School Alpine Academy joined us for a day of trail work and design. With large groups we tend to divide the group in half. One group learning about trail design and hydrology, the other group repairing trail. After a hearty lunch and, of course, cookies we trade. Students first […]
Read moreOn October 25th, 2018, 19 students From Montessori Charter School of Flagstaff Middle School gave their all to some trail work on Deer Hill Trail from Little Elden Horse Camp. This group is always keen, enthusiastic and ready to work! Students first had a lesson in trail design, hydrology and the process for getting a new trail approved. Next […]
Read moreOn October 23, 2018, 19 students from the Peaks School in Flagstaff had an outing to the Elden family homestead site and Elden Spring on Little Elden Trail. Students had a big day of learning! We learned the history of the Elden family and other homesteaders like them. Why they came to Flagstaff and why, in this case, they […]
Read moreOne of the most important skills educators, especially outdoor educators, need to have is flexibility and a willingness to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. On October 18th, 2018 we had to put this skill into action. Both 5th grade classes from Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School were scheduled for outings to the Arizona Trail on the San Francisco Peaks this […]
Read moreOn September 6th, 2018, Seeds of Stewardships first expedition of the fall semester began. 5 students from City High School embarked on an adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains. Unlike other SOS groups, our partnership works to specifically build greater literacy skills through reading and being read to. Our partnership is designed to bring the students into beautiful Sonoran Desert […]
Read moreOn October 4th, 2018, 19 students from Ms. Lemke’s class at Peaks School visited the Arizona Trail on the San Francisco Peaks to view the changing leaves. Students started their hike at the Aspen Loop trailhead. We walked through tunnels of beautiful peaking fall leaves to a warm and sunny spot in a meadow. Here we learned some Arizona […]
Read moreOn September 27, 2018, 17 students from the Montessori Charter School of Flagstaff’s Middle School made a visit to Little Spring and Bismark Lake near the San Francisco Peaks Passage of the Arizona Trail. We had a full day of learning and outdoor experiences. Using the Jr. Explorer Handbooks students learned about C. Hart Merriam’s Life Zone theory that […]
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