Creating a natural love for science with area students

On a cold Sunday afternoon earlier this spring, the students and their families arrived, eager to share snacks, play and showcase their knowledge of science to the public at The Wilderness Center (TWC). The youngsters represented just a small percentage of the thousands of pupils who come each school year to TWC and utilize its resources.

Over the past two to three decades, TWC has made significant advancements to draw in schools and educators, including making the nature center an open-air scientific lab for students. Joann Ballbach is the education director at TWC, and in her 22 years of working there, she's seen her share of changes.

"There've been so many changes. One of our big pushes…because society is becoming more on-demand, is to think of ways to get nature on demand." Many TWC programs do not require advance registration anymore and those visiting can borrow backpacks to explore the area, as well as listen to informational and educational podcasts.

As for the education side, it was a given for many years that schools in Stark, Wayne, Holmes and Tuscarawas counties would load students onto buses and bring them for day trips or special events at TWC. However, the decreased revenues in school budgets meant many districts didn't have the funding for the visits. "It's an extra. It's an easy thing for districts to cut," Ballbach said.

At its peak, in 2001, 22,000 students visited TWC. Now the center sees around 15,000 a year. The cost per student for school districts is 50 cents per visit. For $3 per student, the district can contract services for unlimited visits in a school year. Currently, students in the Dalton, New Philadelphia City, East Holmes, Northwestern and Tuslaw school districts have regular and active student involvement at TWC.

Ballbach said schools are finding it easier to bring students for a short period to TWC instead of the traditional camps. She noted New Philadelphia City Schools had a two-day sixth-grade camp at TWC instead of a traditional weeklong one at a campground. Welty Middle School sixth-graders held the shorter camp last fall. "It saved them a lot of money and they're getting a lot of programming," Ballbach said, for the small amount of per pupil expenditures.

"For those districts (like New Philadelphia), they found it really pays and we can build a better relationship with the students," she added.

Schools are also sending students involved in extracurricular clubs to TWC for activities. The science club from Southeast Local Schools presented a program, Forrest Stump, about trees, this spring. The event was open to the public, with interactive science stations manned by young science club students. New Philadelphia's science club has been doing surveys with naturalist Carrie Elvey. Southeast students have also built a vernal pond and had a space day activity open to the public.

"We try to work with each school," Ballbach said. "We hope that kids learn and they're volunteering."

The Wilderness Center not only tries to incorporate science students into their events, but also the parents. "We have more family events. The parents can come and learn about nature with their kids," Ballbach added. A new land stewardship program has drawn support from Brownie troops and Cub Scout packs, as well as volunteers of all ages. She hopes that when the final school bell rings this spring, the students are eager to come to their outdoor classrooms at TWC in the fall, ready for another year of learning about science and the outdoors.