On April 12th, 2019, 10 students from Kino School left for an adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains. On previous expeditions this group had explored the lower canyons, gaining key insight into the effects large mountains have on the low Sonoran Desert areas. Now, we were heading to the top in order to observe and explore the mixed coniferous forests […]

On April 18 and 19, 40 total 4th-grade students from Mt.Vista Elementary School left their town in Oracle to Venture into the Santa Catalina Mountains for a day of stewardship. This marked the 10th combined expedition between the two groups, a final trip to cap the season. Each trip prior had been one filled with amazing adventure, so much learning, […]

On May 2, 2019, 7 students from City High School embarked on a mission to help repair The Arizona Trail.  We had heard rumors of trail obstructions on Oracle Ridge Trail that had occurred during the late winter storms, and planned to scout the area in case it needed repair. Our previous trips were filled with hiking and adventure, using […]

On May 8th, 2019, 6 students from Miami High School set out from their air-conditioned classrooms and ventured into the heat of the desert for a day of trail work. After four previous adventurous expeditions, the students were excited to be equipped with tools and learn how to maintain and repair trail. We decided to hike North from Picket Post […]

On May 3rd, 2019, 12 students from Kino School began a day dedicated to stewardship on The Arizona Trail. Our four previous expeditions were dedicated to hiking, exploring, and learning about Sonoran Desert landscapes. Trails allowed to enter and learn about these places, which otherwise would be inaccessible. Most often we do not think about the trail under our feet, […]

  On January 9th, 2019, 10 students from Kino School went on an adventure to learn about the low Sonoran Desert environment. Together on a cloudy winter day, we hiked through Pima Canyon, a riparian area within the southwestern extent of the Santa Catalina Mountains. This being the first expedition of the semester, our goal was to begin getting to […]

May 28th, 2019, twenty-three students from Ms. Patterson’s class at Flagstaff Junior Academy finally had a well deserved trip to Griffith’s Spring to remove invasive species and study water health.   The previous day, students participated in several simulations to look at both how invasive species disrupt an ecosystem and the way energy flows from producers, to primary, secondary, and […]

On May 16th, 2019, fifty-two students from Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School visited Marshall Lake south of Flagstaff near the Arizona Trail to remove invasive weed species.   Prior to our visit students participated in a simulation to demonstrate the way invasive take over an area and why they can be so problematic. They also learned to identify some common […]

On May 1st, 2019, forty-two students from the 5th grade class at Flagstaff Junior Academy visited Griffith’s Spring to study concerts old and new.   With large groups, it’s always important to spilt into smaller groups for optimal learning and minimizing impact. On this day students rotated between collecting aquatic macro invertebrate specimens, measuring water chemical qualities, and looking for […]

On April 26, 2019, sixty-one students from Mount Elden Middle School 8th grade traveled to the Arizona Trail north of the San Francisco Peaks to learn more about the way water travels downhill, how to design trail to make minimal impact on the watershed and make some drainage improvements to the trail.   Students rotated between working with volunteers and […]

On April 18, 2019, twenty-seven students of Ms. Esparza’s 5th grade class at Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School visited Griffith’s Spring near Flagstaff to continue their semester long study of watersheds, water quality, and human impacts on the environment.    Students hiked a total of a mile round trip. While at Griffiths spring they conducted water chemical quality testing to […]

On April 11, 2019, twenty-five students of Mr. Caslin’s 5th grade class at Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School visited Griffith’s Spring near Flagstaff to continue their semester long study of watersheds, water quality, and human impacts on the environment.    Students hiked a total of a mile round trip. While at Griffiths spring they conducted water chemical quality testing to […]

On February 15, 2019, a group of 7 students from Kino School traveled to Sabino Canyon National Recreation Area to see the effects of a recent winter storm and learn about water in the desert. I am so grateful that the students were willing to be flexible due to the weather. It had rained over 4 inches on top of Mt. […]

On March 6, 2019, 60 students from Mount Elden Middle School 6th grade met with SOS educator at the Picketpost trailhead to view and experience a passage of the Arizona Trail very different from the ones they are used to in Flagstaff.    Students had the opportunity to take a 1 mile hike to explore the desert ecology and experience […]