Brockton Kids Lead the Way
“This program is about helping students feel connected to the outdoors and empowered to take action as environmental stewards in their own communities.”
– Molly Jacobs,
Vice President of
Environmental Education and Outreach at Manomet
In 2022, Wildlands Trust and Manomet received funding from NOAA’s Environmental Literacy program to launch Brockton Kids Lead the Way, an initiative to foster city students’ connection to nature.
Brockton Kids Lead the Way is an ambitious education initiative designed to boost climate resilience and environmental stewardship in the city of Brockton. In collaboration with local teachers, Wildlands Trust and Manomet will use the funding to design and build outdoor learning spaces at three elementary schools in Brockton. Once the learning spaces are built, students will receive a year of outdoor education programming based on curricula developed by Manomet. They will also participate in environmental monitoring at their school, contributing to community science and cultivating connection with the natural world.
2025: Raymond Elementary School
The third outdoor classroom space under the Brockton Kids Lead the Way initiative is nearing completion! Again, Wildlands and Manomet created a vision unique to this school. Staff worked with community volunteers and with the Green Team to create the space. This included trimming back an overgrown stone bridge next to the school entrance, with a small trail that leads to a clearing in the woods. The clearing serves as a learning space complete with natural stump seating, benches, an outdoor chalkboard, and a pollinator garden. Educational signage will be installed soon. Staff will work with the teachers and students to create a mural on the old concrete structures that line the school entrance to the trail. Part of the funding for this project was used to provide the school with outdoor classroom supplies, including a class set of monocular scopes.
2024: Hancock Elementary School
The second outdoor classroom space under the Brockton Kids Lead the Way initiative was completed in 2024. Wildlands Trust and Manomet staff worked hard to plan and construct the space, coordinating with teachers to determine what is best suited for the school. The outdoor classroom includes benches designed to fold out into picnic tables to offer versatile seating, an outdoor whiteboard, a pollinator garden, and a trail with discovery boxes and educational signs. The trail forms a small loop, perfect for a short hike during class, and connects to the adjacent Brockton Audubon Preserve, creating the opportunity for a longer exploration in the woods.
Inspired by Green Team’s work at the George School outdoor classroom, Wildlands Trust and Manomet developed a new Brockton-based teen summer program—Climate Crew—to help construct this outdoor classroom. Climate Crew was made possible by the LSP Association $30,000 for 30 Years grant program, which funds nonprofit projects to advance environmental justice in Massachusetts.
2023: Manthala George Jr. Global Studies Elementary School
In Summer 2023, Wildlands Trust completed the first outdoor classroom space. Centered on the George School’s community garden, the outdoor classroom includes five recycled-plastic picnic tables in front of a foldable whiteboard, as well as a woodland sitting circle, a weather station kiosk, and an interchangeable story walk.
Wildlands Trust stewardship staff were aided by Green Team, volunteers, and teachers and students from the George School.
For more information, contact:
Rebecca Cushing
Stewardship & Volunteer Coordinator
rcushing@wildlandstrust.org
774-343-5121 x106
