Onekama Elementary second and third grade students spent a beautiful
October afternoon hiking to the Arcadia Dunes lookout. A two-mile
hike through leaf-covered woods led them to the sandy dunes
overlooking the Lake Michigan coastline.
The annual field trip,
organized by teachers Sally Catanese, Gretchen Eichberger-Kudlack,
and Ben Mauntler, served as an extension to the students’ study of
natural resources. Additionally, it supported the school’s mission
of integrating physical activity into the general curriculum. “As
teachers, we look for every opportunity to help our students connect
what they are learning to the world outside our classroom,”
explained Catanese. “It would be foolish to conduct a study of
natural resources without helping students to appreciate that
Manistee County is blessed with a wealth of resources, and that we
have a responsibility in its protection and stewardship.”
The message came across
loud and clear to Onekama third grader Colleen McCarthy. “I loved
hiking to the dunes with my class. Aren’t we lucky to live in one of
the coolest places in the world?”
