EcoliteracySCHOOL
Importance of experiencing
EcoliteracySCHOOL connects concepts of ecoliteracy, “the ability to understand the natural systems that make life on earth possible” (Orr, 2005) while students experience the environment/health connection along with the individualized projects. For the University of Minnesota Rochester students this class is a directed study that offers a semester long leadership role, to plan and facilitate a field experience for others. Students from Pine Island High School also participated in this experience in mentorship pods with the college students.
EcoliteracySCHOOL at a glance
A Bit of Background
Students created their own public health projects that align with the three day field experience. Students were able to choose from a list of roles: Teambuilding Expert, Emergency Preparedness Director, Water & Hydration Specialist, Mental Health and Wellness Provider, Camp Operations and Logistics Director, Marketing & Creative Director, Mentorship Leader, and Mindfulness Instructor. Throughout the course students completed activities which promoted collaboration, project-based applied learning, pursuit of the individual, student participants, use of the evidence-based public health process, and personal academic leadership and development.
Activities
Sea Glass Hunting
Beach at Leif Erickson Park
Sea glass is old worn down fragments of broken bottles that were thrown into the lake, warn by the waves, and recycled by nature. This is a perfect example of how we as humans impact our surroundings. There are many types of sea glass from different man made products and we even found some newly discovered sea metal.
To learn more: http://www.findseaglass.net/sea-glass-colors/
Hiking
At Tettegouche State Park
We arrived first at the Tettegouche State Park visitors center near our campsite. We went on an amazing hike full of beautiful views. Taking a moment of silence to fully embrace the environment we were in.
Setting up camp
At Tettegouche State Park
Setting up camp was full of new adventures and good times. We divided up the tasks of setting everything up and worked as a team to complete them. We had a chilly surprise waking up the next morning, SNOW!
Proper waste disposal
On our hike to the Gentleman's camp
During our 6 mile journey we paused to learn some important human waste disposal techniques based on the fecal-oral transmission pathway. Hygiene, importance of placement, and the five star rating. After learning the techniques we had a little competition of who could practice their waste disposal techniques the fastest.
Gentlemen's Camp
also known as the Tettegouche Camp
On Micmac Lake
We experienced programming by Kurt Mead, an author and interpretive naturalist, who shared lots of information with us. Specifically, we learned about water quality, accessibility and lead levels in the fish. We also did an activity that dealt with environmental management and how that affects our animal populations and human health. Afterward enjoyed some delicious Pudgie Pies over the wood stove, we went on another adventure, and fished off the docks.
Journey to the High Falls
At Tettegouche State Park
Our last activity was a hike to the High Falls. Since we were unable to stay the last night due to a severe cold weather warning we adjusted by including as many activities as we could. This was our final goodbye to this magical place.
Would you like to support our efforts?
“The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately need more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their places. It needs people of moral courage willing to join the fight to make the world habitable and humane. And these qualities have little to do with success as we have defined it.”
― David W. Orr
Our Projects
This field experience incorporated a variety of public health based leadership roles. University of Minnesota Rochester students took on these roles while mentoring Pine Island High School students.
Exercise & Physical Activity Director
Nathan Carlson
I ensured the students were ready for the day by building an exercise program around evidence-based research. I researched what exercises best prepare you for the day and found that low-intensity exercise after breakfast would best suit our needs for the trip. The exercises were beneficial in preparing the students for the hikes we did.
Water & Hydration Specialist
Kathleen Tierney
I made sure everyone had access to clean water and stayed hydrated throughout the EcoliteracySCHOOL experience. After researching about dehydration and local water sources, I learned how important access to clean water is within public health, and I made it my goal to help everyone to understand that too.
Food Safety & Nutrition Coordinator
Katrina Lauer
I was focused on providing nutritious meals to a large group as we prepared food in the outdoors. While focusing on safe food handling and storage, the nutritional components were also important in planning the meals. After preparing a comparative shopping list within a budget, I constructed activities that provided great conversations during mealtime.
Mental Health & Wellness Specialist
Haley Eggum
I created reflection journals and prompts to guide students as they established relationships with one another and nature. The journals were designed to help students develop mindfulness skills to connect students with their own well-being and impacts on public health. My passion for mental health and nature was reflected through the facilitation of this project.
Emergency Preparedness Director
Olivia Louks
Through scenario-based learning, I taught students and leaders how to practice emergency preparedness while in a wilderness setting. I conducted a literary review and identified scenario-based learning as the key method in practicing emergency preparedness. I was responsible for managing two med bags and ensuring they were accessible during every hike and activity.
Mentorship Leader
Sonia Rivera
I facilitated meaningful mentorship relationships between UMR and PIHS students. Using Slack, a virtual communication tool, I was able to post "mentorship pod" discussions that tailored to the expression of personality, academic collaboration, and group reflection. These posts allowed for our experience at Tettegouche State Park to feel more immediate and genuine.
Team Building Expert
Danielle Scherb
I focused on the team-building of the experience. As a camping trip is often considered a team-building exercise I developed a survey to measure the difference in opinion on teamwork before and after. The results showed a better opinion of teams after compared to that of before the trip. Teamwork was fostered on the trip.
Marketing & Creative Director
Katlyn Long
I captured the experiences through pictures and interviews with EcoliteracySCHOOL participants. After researching communication techniques about environmental topics, health communication is key to population health. I created this website to share the importance of engaging with our surroundings while showing off the hard work we did on our projects with the community.
Thank you for all of your support!
Behind the scenes
We want to say a special thank you to all of those that made this experiences possible:
- Chaperones, students, parents, and caregivers
- Darrel Burkhalter of Farmer's Insurance
- Minnesota State Parks
- Pine Island High School
- The Henkel Foundation
- The Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota
- The Oronoco People's Energy Co-Op
- The University of Minnesota Rochester
We are grateful for all that you have done!
Key People
Jessie Barnett Schimek
Public health faculty at the University of Minnesota Rochester
EcoliteracySCHOOL offers key opportunities for future health professionals: Collaboration, leadership, and applied learning. An exciting learning environment makes education real, dynamic, and fun!
Kirstin Osiecki
Public health faculty at the University of Minnesota Rochester
Drew Carlyle joined Eco-Literacy School with the vision and drive to improve upon our Non-Profit Organization, and focused on developing the organization with experience and integrity.
Megan Barnett Schimek
Biology and Biomedical Sciences Teacher at Pine Island High , Minnesota Master Naturalist
EcoliteracySCHOOL utilizes experience and mentorship as the foundation for realizing and being mindful of the connections that exist between humans, our health, and the environment.
Lisa Swanson
Transportation director extraordinaire from Pine Island High School
I participate in EcoliteracySCHOOL because I feel it is important for our next generation to see how our lifestyle choices affect our environment and how closely tied together those actions and our environment are.
Kurt Mead
Author & Interpretive Naturalist, Tettegouche State Park
I love the combination of environmental health and human health that is a focus of the EcoliteracySCHOOL. The blending of these two facets just makes sense as our health is impacted by the health of our planet.
Hiking to the falls - starring Katrina Lauer, Haley Eggum, and Olivia Louks
Megan's first time setting up a tent
It snowed!!
