A little more than 70 students from Guadalupe go hiking somewhere in the local community every Wednesday.
As part of its after-school program, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center takes up to 80 children from Kermit McKenzie Intermediate School and Mary Buren Elementary School on hikes each week. According to Joey Nichols, Dunes Center director of education, the program aims to educate students while providing a unique and enriching outdoor adventure.
“It gets them out, getting some physical exercise, building social connections, and experiencing nature,” Nichols said.
In addition to the hiking club, the center also offers after-school courses in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Nichols explained that each student picks which programs they want to partake in based on their own interests.
“One of the classes is on circuits,” Nichols said. “The younger students are making penny batteries. We do a lot of classes in earth sciences. One that we did was on earth, layers, and structure. One class was on archeology, and we get into the social sciences a little bit, and then a lot of the natural sciences. Some of our biggest topic areas are ecosystems and environmental stewardship.”
The programs are completely free for all participants, with costs covered by the district, ensuring accessibility for all students. Nichols explained that Guadalupe is a disadvantaged community, meaning that many students don’t typically have access to extracurricular activities like these.
“Teaching kids about places to go and hike in their own neighborhood, in their own backyard, really empowers them to have positive social things to do and just experience all of the benefits of being outdoors in nature,” Nichols said.
For Nichols, one of the most rewarding aspects of coordinating the program is witnessing the growth in students’ enthusiasm for nature and social connections, adding that she loves “seeing the smiles on their faces.”
“A lot of them are developing an interest in hiking, and walking, and getting outdoors more often to be social,” Nichols noted. “At school, sometimes they don’t have time for real social connections outside of recess and lunch times, and here they’re walking with friends, making new friends, and exploring things together.”
The hikes take place at different locations each week, depending on seasonal conditions and educational value. Some hikes in the past include one at the Monarch Butterfly Preserve and another at the Dana Adobe Cultural Center.
Nichols said that they try to maintain a high staff-to-student ratio to ensure that while the kids are having fun, they are also safe. The center is always on the lookout for more volunteer docents who are passionate about nature and teaching children.
“Our programs have expanded by at least three times this year, and we need desperately more docents to meet the number of students that we have,” Nichols said.
Not only do docents experience the joy of learning outdoors with students, but they also have opportunities to visit private access locations that most people never get to see. Increasing the number of volunteers would be especially helpful in achieving Nichols’ goal of expanding the program to other districts and schools and giving more students the chance to explore local nature.
“A lot of the students in this community face challenges, and being out there is good for their soul,” Nichols explained. “They’re able to relax. They’re able to get perspective and maybe realize the world is bigger than what they see every day.”
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the Dunes Center, email outreach@dunescenter.org.
Highlight
• Two Pioneer Valley High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) citrus judging teams won state championships at the FFA Winter Finals and Field Day at Fresno State University. According to the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, the contest assessed students on citrus industry standards, including fruit varieties, diseases, defects, insects, and quality assessment. Participants developed critical skills in plant biology, oral communication, and problem-solving.
Staff Writer Emma Montalbano can be reached at emontalbano@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Feb 13-23, 2025.