KAEE 50th Annual Conference

In 2016, The Parklands of Floyds Fork started the S.E.E.D. Program (Stewardship, Education, Exploration, Discovery) to provide engaging, science-based outdoor education to low income, title 1 schools in the Louisville area. The S.E.E.D. program works to remove barriers to participation by providing free field trips and outreach programs for title 1 schools in the Louisville area while also covering the cost of bus transportation. Partner schools receive at least four free programs per school year. Since 2016 the program has grown from 1,000 student experiences per year to nearly 15,000.


What began as a purely science-based program has expanded to many different subject areas and even into pure outdoor recreation. As environmental educators we strive to align our programs with Next Generation Science Standards and school core curriculum so we can ensure a meaningful and valuable experience for students and teachers but also to create buy-in from school administrations. But as environmental educators we also know that exploration and free time outdoors can be just as valuable as curriculum-based learning. We always want to meet our groups where they are and provide what they need out of the experience. So, when Iroquois High School P.E. teacher DeAldon Watson wanted to set up hiking field trips for his students, The Parklands wanted to help.


During this session we will highlight a 3-year partnership between The Parklands of Floyds Fork and Iroquois High School. In 2023, P.E. teacher DeAldon Watson brought select students from his P.E. class to The Parklands for a hike. His goal- to introduce students to healthy, lifelong recreation options like hiking. That first hike was a chilly 1.5 mile walk on the Limestone Gorge trail. No teaching stops, no curriculum topic, no activities, just a group of 40 high school students hiking in the woods. The program was an immediate hit with students. They felt confident, adventurous, and had a ton of fun.


Since that initial hike, the partnership has expanded to bi-monthly field trips throughout the school year and in all seasons including activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, and archery. As part of The Parklands S.E.E.D. Program, all field trips are provided for free with The Parklands paying for bus transportation.
Parklands Director of Education Curtis Carman and Iroquois High School teacher DeAldon Watson will highlight what it takes on both sides to make a partnership like this work for high school students including getting administration buy-in, barriers to participation, ideas on how to engage a high school audience with the outdoors, and how to create sustainable funding.


Participants will walk away with a better understanding of how to create lasting partnerships with high school students as well as a reaffirmed appreciation for outdoor recreation.