Exploring Nature's Classroom: District Special Project to Bring Outdoor Opportunities to Hopkins Students
March 13, 2025, issue of the Hopkins Sun Sailor. Article and photo by Natalie Cierzan
Each year, Hopkins Education Foundation partners with Hopkins Public Schools on a project that will have a districtwide impact. At the Royal Bash on March 1, 2025, we exceeded our fundraising goals for our new Outdoor Opportunities special project and raised $70,000.
The project will inspire Hopkins students to develop outdoor and leadership skills, build community, and experience joy and connection to the natural world with activities like camping, hiking, canoeing, and more.
The Outdoor Opportunities project will fund:
Elementary: Fifth-grade trip to YMCA Camp Ihduhapi.
Middle School: Eighth-grade trip to YMCA Camp Ihduhapi.
High School: Camping trip to Willow River State Park for 120 students.
Outdoor Gear: Expand the High School inventory of camping, hiking, and outdoor gear, to help make it possible for all kids to have outdoor learning experiences, regardless of income.
Outdoor Opportunities Fund: Any additional funds raised will be placed in a fund to make future outdoor trips accessible to our low-income families and to support outdoor learning projects at our schools going forward.
We hope these initial trips and the Outdoor Opportunities fund will inspire our schools to create new outdoor traditions for years to come.
Sparked By a Grant
Hopkins High School teacher Karl Schroeder served as co-emcee at the HEF Royal Bash on March 1.
At the Royal Bash, we were grateful to have Hopkins High School teacher Karl Schroeder as co-emcee. Mr. Schroeder shared anecdotes about how his students have benefitted from outdoor learning experiences, getting to hike or see waterfalls for the first time. In April 2023, he received a HEF Spark Grant for Camping Without Barriers (photos below) and has taken his classes on many great adventures. Mr. Schroeder knows how helpful extra funds can be in making trips possible for all students. It was learning about Mr. Schroeder’s trips and grants like his that spurred HEF to create the Outdoor Opportunities special project and broaden the impact to more Hopkins students.
Inside Hopkins
“In Minnesota, the average middle school student spends about 10 hours a day on screens but less than 10 minutes outdoors”
“That’s a trend worth examining,” Superintendent Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed noted on the latest Inside Hopkins, in response to the data about how much time kids are on screen. The March 13 Inside Hopkins podcast examines why outdoor learning matters, how it benefits students, and what Hopkins schools are doing to bring more nature into education.
Karl Schroeder joined Dr. Mhiripiri-Reed on the podcast, and he shared that he thinks outdoor learning is so important for getting students to be present and engaged, helping them learn communication skills, and empowering them to deal with and overcome failure.
Dr. Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed at the Royal Bash
Dr. Mhiripiri-Reed, who also spoke at the Royal Bash, talked about how grateful the district is that Outdoor Opportunities has been fully funded by HEF and our generous community.
“This fall, I’m going to pilot an Outdoor Adventures 2 class,” to give students more challenging outdoor experiences, said Mr. Schroeder. He is also excited to take 120 kids to Willow River State Park in Hudson as part of HEF’s Outdoor Opportunities project, he said.
Mr. Schroeder’s dream is to take students to the Boundary Waters like Eden Prairie does. He has chaperoned a few Eden Prairie trips and would love to bring that experience to Hopkins. Students want to do something more; they are ready for the next challenge. ”Thanks to HEF, we have the funds to try and push it further,” he said.
“We appreciate the Hopkins Education Foundation,” added Dr. Mhiripiri-Reed. In the podcast's conclusion, they both commented on how much the appreciate the generosity of Hopkins families! Mr. Schroeder also expressed how “empowering as an educator” it was to be at the Royal Bash with so many parents and community members who “care for our students and their experiences.” HEF agrees. We couldn’t do this without you!
“Through this project, our Hopkins students will have hands-on and experiential learning experiences that cannot be replicated within the walls of a traditional classroom. Outdoor learning brings academic concepts to life It encourages creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and connectedness with their local and global environment. Studies consistently show that time spent in nature promotes better mental health by lowering anxiety, boosting mood, and improving focus—key factors for academic and personal success. The Outdoor Opportunities special project will help immerse our Hopkins students in the natural wonders of Minnesota, authentically expose them to life-changing outdoor physical activities, and in turn, foster their holistic development, giving them memories that will last a lifetime and a desire to advocate similar experiences for our future Hopkins families.”
