For my Capstone Project, I designed a 6 week mini course focused on outdoor education. The goal was to help students at SLA Center City gain better access to green spaces in Philadelphia and provide them with tools and resources to explore the natural environment surrounding them more often. I wanted to give SLA students better opportunities to learn more about the environment around them and understand the benefits of spending time outdoors — especially for their mental and physical health. I learned so much from doing this project, it not only inspired me to become more active in getting city kids access to the outdoors, it sparked my interest in a potential career in teaching. I hope this Mini Course can continue on in future years of SLA because getting these students outside of the classroom is so beneficial.

I chose this project because I’ve always been passionate about outdoor education. For two years, I interned with the outdoor education program at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, which deepened my commitment to helping young people connect with nature. Going to school in the middle of Philadelphia, I’ve seen how difficult it can be for students to access green spaces, yet spending time in nature has clear benefits for both mental and physical health. With this project, I wanted to give SLA students the opportunity to explore and learn more about the natural environment around them—no matter where they live in the city.

At first, the idea of planning multiple two-hour lessons for a class of freshmen felt overwhelming, but the experience went by much faster than I expected. A key part of the process was implementing the lesson plans I created each week. I prepared weekly slideshows that outlined the topic, provided a clear structure for the session, and included lots of activities to keep students engaged.