My elementary school days are decades in the past. But I can still remember the two times the class was held outside at Dr. Elementary School. Beatrice O. Jones in Racine.
My fellow students and I sat on the dandelion-filled lawn in late May and did reading assignments and quizzes on one occasion and tried to pay attention to a history lesson on the other.
Memorable? Yes. Effective learning strategy? I'm not so sure. The dragonflies and ants captivated me more than the text or my benevolent teacher.
But years later I watched it Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expo in Poynette. Seeing the 4th through 7th graders learning and doing in a wide range of activities made me realize how smart it was to get the school groups out.
In fact, Marshall's Andrea Gorniak, then a sixth grader, told me the 2018 MOHEE trip to the MacKenzie Center was her “favorite (school day) ever.”
Then, as she petted the head of a sweet German shorthair retriever at a dog training station at the event, she repeated “always” for emphasis.
I totally understood her point.
The event included dozens of stations and events, including angler education, aquatic biology, archery, forestry and fire control, wildlife identification, fly tying, bird ecology, outdoor safety and live turtle and snake demonstrations.
The event was modeled in 2014 after another youth training event held in Beaver Dam, fold.
Mark and Coni LaBarbera of Hazel Green and the Outdoor Heritage Education Center stepped in to fill the void.
They created MOHEE as a way to help kids connect with the outdoors, said Mark Labarbera, who has also served as treasurer and vice president of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation and is the current executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.
Around 3,000 school children, teachers and chaperones have attended previous MOHEE events, held in Poynette.
This year, in keeping with a long-term goal, MOHEE is expanding into southeastern Wisconsin. An event will be held on May 10 at Havenwoods State Forest in Milwaukee.
“We are so happy to be able to bring MOHEE to Milwaukee,” said Ruth Ann Lee of Poynette, MOHEE's executive director. “While we've had Milwaukee-area schools come to Poynette in years past, now it's going to be much more accessible to them.”
Educators and doctors tout the many benefits of connecting youth with the outdoors.
“Here's one very simple thing you can do to improve your child's chances for future health and success: make sure (he or she) spends plenty of time playing outside,” said Dr. Claire McCarthy, a primary care pediatrician at Children's Hospital Boston and assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, in a 2020 article in Harvard Health Publishing.
McCarthy explained that of the many changes in America in recent generations, one of the sharpest contrasts is the amount of time children spend outdoors.
She listed six ways that time outside helps kids: Vitamin D; excercise; executive function; risk taking; socializing; and appreciation of nature.
MOHEE events can help in all these ways.
The Milwaukee event will be staffed with Department of Natural Resources professionals, including biologists and rangers, as well as dozens of volunteers from conservation organizations.
And children will do more than talk or read. they can participate in many activities, even dip a net into Havenwoods Lake and identify what they find.
Lee said MOHEE also allows students to explore guided programs so they can develop outdoor skills that can lead to lifelong outdoor activities.
They also have the opportunity to connect with educators, trained safety instructors and other volunteer mentors who provide an enriching and engaging experience connecting students to Wisconsin's natural resources, outdoor heritage and lifelong skills.
Coincidentally, both LaBarbera and Lee grew up in West Allis. LaBarbara graduated from West Allis Hale. Lee is a graduate of cross-town Central.
They know how difficult access to the outdoors can be for children growing up in the state's largest urban area.
“We're really looking forward to the buses coming to Havenwoods with Milwaukee-area kids,” LaBarbera said.
The event is free. open from 9 am until 3 p.m. So far 850 students have registered for the May 10th Milwaukee event.
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It is not too late for school groups to register and attend the Havenwoods MOHEE. If teachers, administrators or parents are interested in learning more or getting involved, please contact Lee via email at ruthann@ohecyes.org to discuss the possibilities.
I think the chances are pretty good that Milwaukee-area students who get to attend MOHEE will consider it one of the best days of their school year.
