Loftis Middle School's 8th graders are marshing out of the halls and into the great outdoors to enjoy a new way of learning, thanks to The Marshland Project.

What began as a group assignment in the Career Exploration class + the fictional establishment of the Loftis Initiative for Nature & Conservation (LINC) has sprouted into a real-life development. In the spring, the school will break ground on an outdoor classroom that features wildlife habitats, observation spaces + hands-on learning to get a better understanding of our environment.

Pro tip: Navigate through LINC's different teams to see how the students are applying real-world educational tools to guide them through this process.

Marshland Project Coordinator and CTE Instructor Cortney Fugate said the project received $5,000 in grant funds that went toward foundational materials and classroom resources. Another $5,000 is being asked through donations for items like educational kits, trail cameras, garden beds, protective gear, and more to support student learning activities.

Volunteer to bring these students the outdoor learning they've envisioned. | Graphic provided by Loftis Middle School

Help the students achieve this goal by:

Volunteering on Monday, Feb. 17 to remove invasive plants or Saturday, Feb. 22 + Sunday, Feb. 23 to clear the site and trails
Donating materials (think: uprooters, gloves, wood, pallets, logs, concrete, wire + tools) or making a monetary contribution

Construction of Phase 1 (building an observation deck + renovating the current pavilion to a classroom) is set to begin after Monday, March 10, during spring break — volunteers will be needed for this as well.

Phases 2 + 3 will cover trails, seating, a bee yard with a garden shed/honey house + raised gardens. We'll check back in for updates and final designs from students.

Bonus: Follow along with the project via a podcast.