Ozark, Mo. - If you attended Ozark Middle School in the last eleven years, you likely shared the same experience roughly 160 current sixth graders had last week. For the twelfth year, the classroom moved outside for a day full of hands-on learning, discovery, and environmental stewardship. Students dove into various outdoor educational activities through the adopt-a-class collaborative effort between the City of Ozark, Ozark Schools, and several other organizations.
The day kicked off with the city once again being recognized as a Tree City USA for its dedication to forestry and environmental sustainability. 
To mark the occasion, students planted a new tree near the beginning of the Bluff Springs Trail. Following the ceremonial tree planting, students ventured off to one of four outdoor learning stations led by local organizations. The groups rotated between the stations throughout the day, allowing each student to experience everything offered.
They enjoyed getting into the water with the James River Basin Partnership. After collecting mud from a nearby stream, students sifted through it, looking for all the critter life it contained. Students got a firsthand glimpse into the delicate ecosystems that thrive beneath the water’s surface, something Ozark sixth-grader Lincoln Craig couldn’t get enough of. “My favorite station was the Stream Team. I enjoyed being able to search around, pick out the different insects, and see what they looked like,” said Craig.
If water and insects didn’t excite some students, they may have set their sights on the incredible world of predatory birds from the Dickerson Park Zoo. From a soaring golden eagle to a giant turkey vulture, a majestic hawk, and a stealthy owl, students were in awe of these creatures and how they thrive in their environments. Many spoke highly of the birds, including Ozark sixth-grader Emma McKinney, who said, “It was cool seeing all the birds, especially the vulture when it spread its wings out.” Craig enthusiastically agreed, “Learning the facts about predatory birds was awesome, especially learning how owls can’t move their eyes left and right and must move their heads to see their surroundings.”
Even the teachers couldn’t resist the outdoors encounter. “I always love the birds. I like to see them up close. It's really interesting to me to see how big they are and to learn about their value to our ecosystem,” said sixth-grade English teacher Angie Yates. Anytime teachers and students agree on something, you can call that a successful learning experience!
The Missouri Department of Conservation challenged the students to improve their knowledge of trees and leaves. Equipped with a book identifying different species, the students ventured into the woods, stopping at locations along the trail to see if they could correctly identify various trees and leaves. “It was cool going out into the woods and trying to figure out which leaves were which. It was more difficult than I thought it would be because many of them were similar, but it was still a lot of fun,” said McKinney.
Now, if the nature sessions of the day were just ho-hum for some students, they surely found excitement in the fire simulator hosted by Christian County Emergency Management and the valuable fire safety lessons taught by the Ozark Fire Protection District. “Going into the fire simulator was cool. We always learn what to do when a fire happens, but we’ve never been through a simulator or anything. It was cool having to put into action what we had learned by feeling the door for heat, getting down and crawling underneath the smoke, and escaping out a window,” said McKinney. Ms. Yates agreed, “The firefighters and the smoke room are highlights for the kids. They are really into that, and because of the smaller groups, they were able to do a few more things, like attempt to pick up the equipment and get an idea of what a firefighter has to lift.”
Whether wading through streams to observe aquatic life, examining trees and leaves up close, interacting with birds of prey, or going through a fire simulator, each activity ignited a sense of wonder and curiosity in the young learners. Each station encouraged students to ask questions, engage in discussions, and reflect on their experiences. “I see them talking about things like careers and what they might want to do someday. I think they sometimes forget they can be educated outside the school building, which is great about this program. They can ask questions and picture themselves in different careers that maybe they previously didn’t think too much about within the walls of the school building based on what we read or see in a video. This opens up new possibilities for them,” said Ms. Yates.
Following a much-needed meal break, the students returned to school with memories of a day filled with exploration and discovery and a tree seed to plant and care for on their own.
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The City of Ozark would like to thank all the organizations who helped make the adopt-a-class day a huge success. Geared towards protecting the streams, rivers, and waterways, this program is a fun event for the students to learn about the environment and water quality. It’s a win-win for the students, the city, and all the organizations involved.