Garaway students celebrate Aldo Leopold Day

The great outdoors may be a waning experience for many of today’s teens who seem to invest more of their time on their phones than in nature, but that isn’t the case for some Garaway High School students.

The Garaway Outdoor Club, created this school year, was created to offer plenty of outdoor-related activities for students interested in exploring nature at its best.

On Thursday, March 5, about 30 club students teamed up with the Norma Johnson Center and NewPointe Church near Dover to celebrate Aldo Leopold Day.

Who is Aldo Leopold?

Aldo Leopold was an American author, forester, philosopher and scientist in the early to mid-1900s who was known as the “father of wildlife ecology.” He is best known for his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” and his development of the idea of land ethics, which advocates for a caring, ethical relationship between people and nature.

Leopold is celebrated by naturalists and organizations nationwide every year on this date, and thanks to a grant through The Aldo Leopold Foundation., the Garaway Outdoor Club had plenty of his books and materials to do a deep dive into his theories and thoughts.

According to teacher Greg Miller, who founded the group, students participated in literature activities, participated in science-based activities and had a rather soggy nature hike at NJC.

“Aldo Leopold is considered by many to be the father of wildlife ecology and modern conservation,” Miller said. “Our purpose is to introduce and engage kids in outdoor activities.”

Miller said as an outdoorsman himself, there was an absence of educational opportunities for the GHS students interested in learning more about nature.

“Our hope was to bring these kids together and explore the vocational opportunities that exist in the outdoors,” Miller said. “There are some neat career opportunities out there today that they may not be aware of, and bringing in people like foresters, people from Soil & Water and the Muskingum Watershed District and even my brother who is a wildman firefighter in Idaho to speak to the kids about their roles is really valuable.”

Approaching opportunities will include taking the students to participate in watershed reclamation and habitat work and tree planting.

Part of the experience has been bringing in people to speak to the club students who are enjoying outdoor careers, with hopes of igniting a spark of interest and encouraging the students to think about the possibilities beyond school.

“For those students who show an interest in the outdoors, it’s important for us to let kids know what is available to them,” Miller said. “We have kids here who are interested in the great outdoors, and we want to make sure that the experiences we have had enjoying the great outdoors are all available to them in the future.”

Students spent the early portion of the day poring over Leopold’s book, taking turns reading specific thoughts and chapters.

Program educator Marsha Freeland spoke to the students about the growing concerns over the tick population explosion and the danger of spreading Lyme disease they present.

In addition, Miller connected with GHS conservation and environmental science teacher Steve Spillman, who helped the students do some water testing from the pond beside NewPointe Church.

“In testing the water here, we can figure out what contaminants are in the water if any and talk about what can be done to take care of those,” Spillman said. “My class explores all types of conservation, hunting and fishing. It’s really encouraging to get these kids into exploring the outdoors, and my class partners perfectly with this club’s goals.”

Garaway senior Ethan Roudebush, who serves as the group president, said the activities have been inspiring and educational.

“This is a great way for people to get introduced to the outdoors in new ways,” Roudebush said. “The hunting and fishing aspect is kind of dying off among young people, and it’s good to get the younger generation involved.”

He said as a senior, it is exciting to see so many younger students get involved with the group.

Colton Domer, vice president, said the idea of opening the eyes of students about the career possibilities also is a big part of the group’s intentions.

“Ethan and I were talking about colleges, and we both want to get into something that involves the environmental sciences,” Domer said. “Aldo Leopold kind of became a role model and inspiration to both of us, and we are making some great connections through this club. Even though Aldo Leopold passed away about 80 years ago, his words and vision are still important today.”

With no FFA at GHS, the Garaway Outdoor Club has opened new possibilities for students, providing them with insight into the great outdoors that may open doors to careers for those whose interests are piqued.