The learners of today – they don’t sit still. They explore. They camp. Grow herbs. Release salmon. Canoe. Study wildflowers. Stargaze. The students at C.A. Frost Environmental Science Academy are a case in point. They learn outside the classroom just as much – if not more – than they do sitting inside at a desk.
C.A. Frost is a science-orientated institution that builds awareness about the natural environment and teaches today’s children about society's affect on tomorrow’s world. It also happens to be one of the more popular public schools in metro Grand Rapids.
“The idea of “green” and being conscious of the environment is often associated with “tree huggers” and the sixties,” says Pam Wells, principal at the school. “What we teach is how students impact the Earth and how humans are changing the environment.”
“Our students are moving and interacting with the environment,” Wells adds. “They aren’t just learning about the environment, they’re learning how to be a part of it.”
Like most urban education systems in America, Grand Rapids Public Schools, generally speaking, is dealing with steady declines in student enrollment. But the conventional wisdom about families running away from GRPS in pursuit of better educational opportunities in the suburbs or charter academies isn’t entirely accurate. Students are on a waiting list, in fact, to get into the C. A. Frost, the district's environmental science hub.
The school is unique locally in that it reflects the diversity of a city school in a somewhat rural setting, and the word seems to be getting out. C.A. Frost currently is completely full from kindergarten through 8th grade and has 125 children on a waiting list in hopes of attending next year.
Inspiring Instruction
Vanessa Purcell, a mother of six, actually once moved her family across town to be closer to C.A. Frost and improve her children's chances of attending the school. She appreciates the school's high educational standards, family-friendly atmosphere, and hands-on experiential learning opportunities.
Still, even though the family lived three doors down from the school, two of her kids landed on the waiting list at one time or another. They eventually were fortunate enough to get in, and all of Purcell's children attended the environmental science academy for at least part of their education.
“This school brings reality to what the kids could just be reading about," Purcell says. “It’s one thing to read about a frog in a text book, but to actually go out in the environment and hold one, it really brings things into perspective.”
Principal Pamela Wells said it’s basically a lottery to get children into the school, which is filled with 515 students. New prospective students must fill out applications, which are chosen randomly to fill the limited number of vacant spots.
“We have 45 openings for new kindergartners,” Wells says, “and then will make additional selections based on openings in other grade levels from students moving or going to other schools."
“This is a safe, stable school where families can stay for much of their children’s education,” Wells adds. “When parents come to visit this school, they aren’t just looking for a grade for their child. They’re looking for a whole school.”
So what makes the school so popular? The curriculum is equivalent to that of other GRPS district schools. The programs, however, have a common theme centered on the natural environment and ecology. And with a fully functioning greenhouse, an on staff environmental science specialist, and the Blandford Nature Center literally in the back yard, C.A. Frost is able to provide an educational experience that actively interests and engages students in their study in ways few schools in West Michigan can match.
“These kids want to be here,” Wells says. “If the kids aren’t able to make it to school or miss the bus, they don’t see it as a day off or a vacation. They are truly upset they aren’t here. I’ve had kids personally call me to pick them up from home, and I have.”
Creative Classes and Cool Kids
At the core of C.A Frost's curriculum is the environmental laboratory, or E-lab, which offers the district's chief environmental studies course. Students in E-lab spend half the week working in small groups on year-long projects focused in areas such as “The Composting Cafeteria”, “Reduce Reuse, Recycle”, “Backpacking”, and “Greenhouse”. The other half of the week is spent outside documenting observations and studying nature.
The greenhouse program is relatively new. But students already have assembled hydroponic systems, for example, to grow basic foods like lettuce. They also monitor pH and nutrient levels on a daily basis as part of the hands-on science study.
“It’s the first year for the greenhouse, so it’s a learning process for everyone,” says Mary Lewandoski, one of the E-lab instructors. ”My middle school students are very excited with this project.”
Though C.A. Frost focuses intensely on the natural environment, the school also offers a wide variety of programs to turn out well-rounded students. Electives include visual arts, team sports, band, reading exploration, and technology. Children also have the opportunity to regularly experience plays, ballets, and the symphony as well as participate in student council, dances, and sports.
“At this age it’s too young for children to decide that they want to be scientists, we have to engage them in all activities.” Pamela Wells says. “We all have high expectations for our kids, but that’s what they are, kids. We have to give them the opportunity to be just that.”
And, as one might expect from a science-themed school, high test scores have emerged from various areas. However, experts suggest the performance is perhaps due more to the setting C.A. Frost provides than the curriculum it teaches. Core studies in the seventh and eight grades, for example, are taught in single gendered classes, the first of its kind in the Grand Rapids Public Schools.
“We’ve seen gains in leaps and bounds with this program,” Wells says. “The girls aren’t afraid to ask questions and the boys aren’t spending time showing off to the girls.”
When touring the halls of this atypical school, it is apparent the tone and message the students receive is less about the fast paced society of today’s world and more the richness of human cultural, diversity, and the natural world. Walls are covered with animal scenes created by students, for example, and classrooms are filled with waders, fishing polls, microscopes, and objects that help kids explore their environment.
But it’s the children who fill those halls, educators say, that make C.A. Frost such a positive, energetic place.
“There are just a lot of really cool kids here,” said Wells. “These children are beacons of light. We really do shine.”
Jamie L. Linari, a graduate of Central Michigan University, is a freelance writer living in downtown Grand Rapids. She also directs advertising and marketing for Encore Development Group, LLC.
Photos:
"Stella" a Bearded Dragon resides in the E-Lab classroom
Greg Petersen in teaches science in the E-Lab
Student Christy Guston and "Stella"
Principal Pamela Wells signs special coupons that kids receive from their teachers for special achievements each week
Principal Wells is surrounded by students
Photographs by Brian Kelly - All Rights Reserved