Hurlburt's outdoor classroom a first in the Air Force, Florida

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joe McFadden
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  The Hurlburt Field Youth Center's outdoor classroom recently earned the national designation of a certified Nature Explore classroom from the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation.

The certification made the classroom the first certified Nature Explore classroom in the Air Force, as well as any military installation. It is also the first of its kind in the state of Florida and one of just 29 certified classrooms in the United States.

Del Mucci, youth director at the center, said the classroom was not just about pioneering new terrain but providing an opportunity for children to reconnect with nature.

"While we love being on the leading edge, the focus is on the kids," Mr. Mucci said. "When you see the impact this has on them, it's the real reward."

The process started with a grant secured by Donna Love, Air Force Special Operations Command. Construction of the classroom began in May and involved using recycled natural items such as tree stumps, sand and vegetation.

Once completed, the classroom included several areas with different purposes, like a garden area populated with plants and flowers, a climbing area with tree limbs and stones and a peaceful area for parents to read to their children outside.

A unique feature of the classroom was the presence of chrysalis, or cocoons, where children observed firsthand the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a monarch butterfly.

Over the summer, children also noticed the changes being made to the area and even helped out. Six-year-old Jared Comeau set bricks along a pathway and built forts out of tree branches with his friends.

"I put one brick down and then we kept going until we reached our fort," he said. "I like playing outside."

Catherine Goss, operations clerk and youth specialist, said the classroom became a great tool against "nature deficit disorder," where children, as well as adults, do not spend enough time outdoors.

"The real measure of success is how many children are outside as opposed to inside," Ms. Goss said, pointing to an empty room inside. "Out here, they have an uninterrupted atmosphere where they can build on their imaginations and explore nature. It's just wonderful."

According to the Arbor Day Web site, the Nature Explore Classroom Certification Program is a national initiative that recognizes schools and other organizations that have made a commitment to providing outdoor classrooms and comprehensive programming to help children use the natural world as an integral part of learning.