Help our students experience the awe, responsibility, and science of the natural world.

This winter, our students will embark on Echoes of a Watershed—a powerful, place-based learning experience that brings together environmental science, outdoor education, cultural understanding, independence, and real-world problem-solving. Over the course of several weeks, students will learn what a watershed is, how human and natural systems interact, and why caring for our shared environment matters.

The experience culminates in a multi-day expedition through Arizona’s Salt River Canyon, Apache tribal lands, and desert watershed ecosystems, where students investigate landscape changes, practice Leave No Trace principles, observe flora and fauna, cook and camp together, and build a deeper connection to the natural world and to themselves.

Why This Matters

Many of our students have never traveled beyond their immediate community. This Winter Intensive provides them with:

• Meaningful hands-on science learning
  Students practice field research skills, measure water, study topography, track environmental changes, and examine the complex systems that make up watersheds.

• Cultural and ecological understanding
  We engage with experts, tribal perspectives, land-based histories, and comparisons across regions to help students understand the relationship between people and place.

• Leadership, independence, and responsibility
  Students learn to cook, manage gear, practice safety, collaborate in groups, and take responsibility for themselves and the environment.

• Portfolio-worthy academic products
  Students create reflection artifacts, maps, journals, and analysis pieces that support their individualized LH/MH/UH portfolio requirements.

Where Your Donation Goes

Your support helps cover essential costs that make this experience possible for all students, including:

• Transportation and fuel

• Campground and permit fees (including Apache Nation permits)

• Maps, field guides, water-testing tools, and science supplies

• Food for cook groups

• Student gear needs (tents, stoves, water filtration, etc.)

• Safety equipment and first-aid supplies

Every contribution—big or small—directly supports students in having a transformative academic and personal experience outdoors.

What Students Will Do

From the first week to the final reflection, students engage in meaningful, structured learning that includes:

• Building background knowledge about watersheds

• Studying maps, geology, and weather systems

• Practicing Leave No Trace principles

• Planning routes and logistics

• Participating in med checks, gear checks, packing lessons, and safety briefings

• Hiking, camping, observing, questioning, journaling, and analyzing the world around them

• Returning with artifacts, insights, and stories that become part of their learning portfolios

This is more than a trip—it is an opportunity for students to discover their potential, build resilience, and see themselves as capable, curious learners.

Join Us in Making This Possible

By contributing to this Givebutter campaign, you are helping our students step into a larger world—one filled with learning, adventure, and connection to the land.

Thank you for believing in our students, their growth, and the power of experiential education.