Through the canopy, sunlight peeks into the forest, illuminating the ground below with rays that warm my back. Children laugh as leaves fall, and there’s a spirit of tranquility in the air, as if clocks have stopped ticking and the forest never ends. The creek runs down the hill, or tries at least, as the children build a dam. On fall days like these, it’s easy to be grateful, the summer heat gone and the winter cold still far away.
Project MARS/AmeriCorps collects “Great Stories” from its members in which they reflect on their experiences mentoring in the classroom and the progress they see in students. This month’s story was written by Connor Lacroix, above.
Today, the kids learned how to harvest garlic, corn, sorghum, and more. Gardening teaches its own lessons: patience, grit, gratitude. Lessons that math cannot teach. School under the sun and trees bears its own fruits, and the difference is noticeable in the way these kids treat the world, each other, and themselves.
Serving at a nature school brings its own unique challenges, like cold hands and heavy legs. But it has its own rewards as well, life lessons learned through experience, the struggle of building a fire, the value of hard work, and the beauty of a strong community. At my service site, we go to the forest, not recess; we have meetings in the barn, not the gym; and hibiscus tea is scattered across campus, made with the students’ collective effort.
One of the kids walks up to me.
“Mr. Connor, I fell out of a tree.” She says.
“Oh my!” I gasp, “Are you okay?”
“I’m great!” she answers with a smile.
