More than 3,000 elementary students – every third-grader in the Henry County public school district – visited the Henry County Water Authority’s Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center in Locust Grove over a two-week period in the second half of September as part of their annual partnership.
Officials said the field trips provide opportunities for experiential or “hands-on” learning for students through outdoor classes, which intentionally correspond with the third grade Georgia Standards for Excellence and Applied STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) curriculum.
Topics included native wildlife and habitat, Native American artifacts, farming, community gardens, forestry, stormwater education, properties of water, and proper disposal of fats, oils and grease, among others.
In addition, the field trips encourage student appreciation of natural resources and awareness of the HCWA’s role in the community.
The center consists of 1,000 acres of bottomland hardwood, forested wetlands and uplands, nature trails, outdoor classrooms, a community pavilion, a reservoir, outdoor recreation options and other amenities.
More than 50,000 students have participated in the program over the past 20 years.
Information: hcwa.com.
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