Beyond the Classroom: A Community Reflection on Learning, Nature and Belonging

"What happens when learning moves beyond the classroom?"

That question brought community members together at the Friends of Wilderness Youth Project Luncheon. Educator PJ Carmean from Santa Barbara Junior High shared a powerful and personal reflection on what unfolds when students step into nature as part of their learning journey.

Through her partnership with Wilderness Youth Project, PJ has spent the past three years taking newcomer students into local outdoor spaces such as Lizard’s Mouth, Rincon Beach, and Skofield Park. These are young people who have been in the United States for just one to three years. What she has witnessed reaches far beyond a typical field trip.

Adventure Rooted in Curiosity and Access

PJ described how the idea began with a simple realization. Even as a local, there were places in Santa Barbara she had never explored. If she did not know about them, how would her students gain access?

From that question grew a partnership grounded in three core goals: building nature literacy, encouraging self-expression, and documenting student experiences. Over time, the impact grew in ways she did not expect.

A Place to Set Down Worry

At the heart of PJ’s reflection was a clear truth. Her students carry a great deal of worry.

“For my Newcomer students, the worry they carry is profound. They carry worry about having enough to eat and enough money to ride the bus and evading ICE and hiding ankle monitors. They carry worry about learning language and doing well in school. And on top of these and numerous other worries particular to Newcomer families, Newcomer students [still carry all the worries of any teenager.]”

When you carry this kind of worry all the time, it becomes very difficult to learn and live.”

Wilderness Youth Project offers space where students can set some of that down. PJ described the intention simply. Give students an opportunity to walk lightly, even if only for one morning each month.

Year One to Year Three

PJ described the growth with Wilderness Youth Project and her SB Junior High students over time:

• Year One: "Oh. My. Goodness. What have we done?"
  A year of discovery filled with play, exploration, and moments of joy.
• Year Two: "How big can this be?"
  A period of growth, collaboration, and deepening relationships.
• Year Three: "How would we survive without access to these spaces?"
  Outdoor experiences became an essential part of student well-being, especially during times of uncertainty in the community.

The Power of Presence

Some of the most meaningful moments were also the simplest.

• Students sitting quietly for fifteen minutes, learning how to be still.
• Laughter during games.
• Building fires in the rain.
• Experiencing wonder during a hailstorm.

One moment stayed with PJ. A student noticed she was distracted by her phone during a trip. It shifted her awareness.

“I needed to give them my full attention,” she said. “Not my phone, not my own personal problems.”

Relationships at the Center

PJ shared that what surprised her most was not only what students experienced, but what was created among everyone involved.

“What I did not know,” she reflected, “is it would provide a place for all of us to reset and remember that we care about each other.”

Her reflection points to something deeper than outdoor learning. It speaks to belonging, trust, and the relationships that help young people and adults move through a complex world.

A Final Invitation

PJ closed with an invitation. Choose a word or write a poem that captures what you are carrying forward. Language can help us remember one another and build a sense of safety and connection.

You might try this simple prompt:

• Think of a moment outdoors that stayed with you
• Choose one feeling from that moment
• Write a few lines beginning with “I remember…”

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