Editor,

I enjoyed reading your recent piece on outdoor excursions for Whidbey Island students. I wanted to share that for almost 30 years, Whidbey Watershed Stewards has been running the Outdoor Classroom, a long-standing program that brings nature-based learning directly to students on the island.

The Outdoor Classroom hosts field trips for primary students (K–5), as well as some middle and high schoolers through multi-grade homeschool groups. Our volunteer instructors lead hands-on lessons in the forest, wetlands, and streams, helping students learn science, ecology, and stewardship while being immersed in nature.

We are proud to be one of the few programs that has consistently offered these experiences year after year, ensuring that thousands of local children connect with the natural world right here on Whidbey.

Thank you for helping highlight the importance of outdoor education in our community. We’d love to see the story of the Outdoor Classroom shared as part of this conversation, since it has been a cornerstone of environmental learning for decades.

Laina Stonefelt

Outdoor classroom educator

Whidbey Watershed Stewards