Help 75 Students Become Earth Keepers

Orange County middle schools are the heart of Piedmont Wildlife Center’s Earthkeepers afterschool program. These programs are only possible because of generous donations from people like you - and we are so grateful for your support! Without you, we would be unable to provide these students with a much-needed escape into nature after a long day of learning inside.

One of the middle schools where we run afterschool programs is Orange Middle School in Hillsborough, NC. Orange Middle School has an outdoor classroom with a creek running through it. Early this past fall, we challenged our Earthkeepers to build a bridge across the creek by the end of the semester. The bridge had to be strong enough to support everyone’s weight as they walked across it. As an added challenge, they also had to build it entirely from natural materials found in the school’s woods!

Students broke off into smaller groups to gather materials they thought would make for a solid bridge. Once each group had collected their items, they began brainstorming bridge designs. Our Earthkeepers put their creativity and problem-solving skills to work through five iterations of designs before agreeing upon one that would comfortably support everyone who crossed it.

Then it was time to get building! Each day during the building process, our afterschool staff challenged different students to step up and lead the group. We even saw some of our more reserved students become invested in the project as they led the hunt for strong sticks. Several of our Earthkeepers are neurodivergent, and they shared with us that our program was the best part of their day. Foraging for sticks and packing mud to make the bridge stronger gave them a sense of accomplishment and helped them feel part of a bigger community.

And, of course, it was fun. Who doesn’t want to end their school day covered in mud?!

At the end of the semester, our Orange Middle School Earthkeepers successfully completed their bridge - a sturdy structure of sticks packed with mud spanning the creek. Thanks to their hard work, everyone was able to cross the creek without the bridge breaking or even wobbling!

Inclusivity is one of our core values at Piedmont Wildlife Center. Many students participating in Earthkeepers face barriers to attending our camps and other outdoor education programs. Thanks to Earthkeepers afterschool, however, they are able to connect with nature, build a sense of community, and improve their naturalist and awareness skills - right in their school’s backyard.

Thank you for making this woodland adventure possible. We’re so grateful for your continued support!