Patty Miller
EDMOND — Students at St. Mary's Episcopal School gathered Friday at the Outdoor chapel to learn the fine art of kayaking.
As the chapel became an outdoor learning center, third-, fourth- and fifth- graders listened to Dave Lindo, owner and instructor at OKC Kayak, as he instructed them in water safety and gave a lesson on how to paddle a kayak.
With newly found knowledge, students donned safety vests and headed toward the Reflection Pond.
"It was awesome,"said third-grade student Lilly Matthews. "It was also hard to learn to turn and go backwards."
Fourth-grade student Katelyn Blumenthal agreed that learning to turn was hard and confusing at first.
"I think it was fun,"said Karsten Perkins, a fourth-grade student, "although it was hard getting used to."
Third-grader Tristan Manek said he was scared at first because he didn't want to flip over in an Eskimo roll.
Two of the students had prior experience kayaking and fourth-grade student Kellen Keefer said even though he had been scared the first time, Lindo helped him understand what he needed to do.
Fourth-grader Katy Marie Carl said she was excited when she learned they were going to be kayaking.
"It feels like you are floating,"ù Katy said.
"We are actively learning new ways to utilize our 51 acres," school headmaster Nancy Hetherington said.
In order to promote student wellness, St. Mary's physical education teacher Pam Stockman said she wants to utilize the campus and facilities more and more with the students.
Hetherington said a lot of the outdoor master planning has been done in cooperation with Clean and Beautiful Schools plus funding through the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Boy Scout troops have adopted service projects throughout the years to help develop the land.
"We try to be community friendly," Hetherington said.
Fifth graders also have gone to Lake Hefner for sailing lessons.
Teacher Kathy Matthews said the faculty is trying to get the children outdoors not just to play.
"It is important to get our children outdoors for learning," Matthews said. "We want to teach them everything about being outdoors from identifying bugs to wearing sunscreen to wiping their feet when they come in.
"Most of all we want to teach them to be safe and responsible.
"James Sallis at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said the baby boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1965, will be the last generation of Americans to share an intimate, familial attachment to the land and water," Matthews said.
An outdoor classroom is under construction on the campus.
Teachers will take what they teach in the classroom to the outside as they incorporate math, science, language arts, music and art in teacher-designed lessons.
Matthews added this is the first group of children who grew up indoors.
Students have participated in mountain biking, fishing, walking trails and kite flying, all on the school's campus.
"Our next activity is a camp out and star-gazing evening,"ù Stockman said.
"Dave will be back to help us go critter hunting and teach us to build a camp fire."
FOR MORE information on kayaking, call Dave Lindo at 830-9689 or go online at okckayak.com.
