Unit III Carries on Doherty Tradition with Glen Helen Trip

Unit III students spent three days and two nights at the Glen Helen Nature Preserve in Yellow Springs, Ohio. 

“Glen Helen is a Doherty tradition; even I remember it from my time here,” said Unit III teacher and Doherty alum Allison Hills ’13. “Not only does this trip teach the kids about the environment, sustainability and the natural world around them, the kids also learn how to problem-solve on their own without their teachers present.”

The students investigated the 1,000 acre preserve with naturalists, who their Doherty teachers had worked with beforehand to tailor their curriculum for the trip. 

“Some of their favorite hikes were geology, stream studies, and learning about animals including turtles, beavers, snakes and others,” Hills said.

In addition to themed hikes, there were also outdoor games, craft making, and tech-free camp time. The students lived together in dorms, ate together family style, and studied together.

“There are so many lessons to learn at Glen Helen, both academic and ‘life’ lessons,” Unit III teacher Bill Schmidt said. “Our fourth and fifth graders always come back from Glen Helen feeling proud of themselves for having accomplished this experience.”

The trip always includes songs and skits by the campfire. This year, the students delighted the naturalist by performing “The Backson” from their recent musical “Winnie the Pooh KIDS.” 

On the way back to Cincinnati, the students and their teachers stopped at Young’s Jersey Diary for ice cream and to visit the animals.