Taking the classroombroutside: That's the goal of the new Outdoor Learning Center on the WestlakebrAcademy campus. An official ribbon-cuttingbrceremony was held on the grounds with members of the Board of Trustees,brstudents, faculty and the Westlake Academy Foundation.
The first phase of thebrproject includes vegetable gardens as well as math and science stations. ThebrCenter also includes a planter box that enables students to do experiments onbrplanting and watering, as well as a worm farm and compost bin.
Shortly after thebropening, students wasted no time getting their hands dirty, planting varyingbrtypes of vegetation in the garden.
For the Academy, it's anbropportunity to take their teaching to another level. “The Center allows us tobrextend learning beyond the classroom. Our students are now able to go out intobrthe garden and find real world applications to what they're learning in thebrclassroom. It's really about enriching the learning experience and extendingbrit,” said Dr. Mechelle Bryson, executive director of Westlake Academy, viabrpress release.
This new addition tobrcampus couldn't have been possible if it weren't for the efforts of the WestlakebrAcademy Foundation and its giving supporters. One-hundred percent of thebr$116,000 needed for the project was raised during the Foundation's 2016 GallerybrNight event.
“It is because of all ourbrvery generous families, community members, and corporate donors that thebrFoundation was able to raise money for the initial construction of the OutdoorbrLearning Center. The Foundation is so very grateful to all the donors that havebrmade the Outdoor Learning Center a reality. The Center is a greatbraccomplishment that will benefit all students now and in years to come,” saidbrDebbie Kraska, president of the Westlake Academy Foundation.
According to Dr. Bryson,brthe Center will fulfill a need in the DP department to do authentic researchbrfor their internal and external assessments as part of the IB program.
Troy Meyer, the projectbrmanager for the Learning Center, says this was a total team effort. “The mostbrexciting aspect of this project was that we had a collaborative effort withbrteachers, staff, and principals who all looked for various ways to weave thisbrproject into our curriculum at Westlake Academy,” said Meyer.
Ground broke on the newbrCenter at the end of January. It's located on a half-acre plot of land behindbrthe gymnasium on the north side of campus.
The second phase of thebrCenter will include a math and science plaza as well as a large sundial,brcompass, and a 35-foot ruler. Initial plans have been drawn up for phase two,brbut no timetable has been established on when it will break ground.
Visit WestlakeAcademy.org for more information.