Whether you’re a student or a parent of one, you probably know about the Boston School Forest here in the Stevens Point area. But do you really know how much work they put into our future? And do you know how they can even do so? I bet you don’t, because the Boston School Forest, BSF for short, gives an admirable amount of help toward keeping our planet for younger generations to appreciate.
If, however, you don’t know what the BSF is, it is essentially a department of the Stevens Point Area School District located on Lincoln Ave. in Plover. They educate students in grades 4K-10 on the planet, biology and some more subjects as well, like math, by using what they learn in class in the real world. Not only that, but they also increase students’ interest in the outdoors and in keeping our planet healthy.
Programs
For this article, I checked out their annual Earth Day celebration, which, of course, falls on or around the international Mother Earth Day recognized by the United Nations. Of course, as it was an event designed for the children and families of Stevens Point, I had little to do on my own. However, experiencing it in person was still super wholesome and helped me understand how deeply connected the BSF is with our community, but more on that later. This program, in summary, offered many free activities for the children of Stevens Point, including multiple games, snacks, crafts and shows all made for them to enjoy educationally.
But the Earth Day celebration isn’t the only fun that the BSF gives to the community. I hosted an interview with the program leader, Karla Lockman, to give her a chance to speak on what her department does. She listed some other programs that I have not been to before, like the Forest Family Fun Run, which is a non-competitive race with free admission and t-shirts for participants. They also do a third-grade family event, called Flashlight Friday, where they go hiking after dark with guides, and the Winter Open House, where they give opportunities for families to have fun in the snow, even if they don’t have the equipment, like skiing, snowshoeing and sledding.
One event, however, stands out from all the others, for its intrigue of all ages within and around the Stevens Point schools. The Polar Pond Plunge is a fundraiser for the school, in which any and all volunteers jump into the freezing pond of the forest during winter. Many times, teachers would set goals for their students, offering their participation in the event if the students achieve it, giving motivation just so they could watch their teachers jump into the freezing water. Anyone who supports the school can volunteer, even the students, to my knowledge.
Community
But let’s get into how the Boston School Forest connects with so much of the community. First, how was it founded? To simplify what Lockman told me, in 1937, Harry Noble, a worker at the UW, got a job to reach out for donations of forests to the schools in the Stevens Point greater area. A man, Harry Boston, owned 80 acres of farmland that had gone unused for a short period before he decided to donate it, split between the different school systems, including the BSF. Then, the farmland was largely transformed into a forest planted by former students of the school.
At the Earth Day celebration, I saw firsthand how many people and companies work with the school forest. Farmers could talk about their produce and grow interest in agriculture, animal lovers share tips in bird watching and appreciating wildlife, police and fire departments share boating and vehicle safety, students of the UW and high schools share their love for their studies and that’s not even getting into who they work with outside events.
Another connection I had the chance to experience was Scouts. The BSF hosts cabins for other clubs or organizations, like scouts, to explore the forest and even gives lessons to the children, usually based on the organization they are there for. For example, my scout organization would use the BSF for practicing scout activities like navigation, exploration, campfire making and interacting with wildlife.
Funding
But how are they able to do so much? Most of the money required to host these events doesn’t actually come from the school district, but the work that the BSF does is instead made possible by volunteers, generous donations and support from the Stevens Point community. As of right now, the BSF is raising funds for a new Ski Shack Classroom, which was collected in many different ways, like a partnership with Baskin-Robbins, raffles and a food or clothing sale.
You can also just donate directly, which I would personally recommend, even if you don’t or won’t have children. If your goal is to give back to this community, the BSF is a perfect way to do so by helping children and families enjoy nature in ways they might not have been able to otherwise. Seriously, stop reading this, open the official BSF website and donate some pocket change, even if you are a student. The BSF does so much for the community, and it is the least you can do, especially if you attended.
So, next time you hear about the Boston School Forest, I hope that you can remember it as the hardworking, thoughtful organization they are. Consider looking at some events you may be interested in, if there are any that seem interesting. Appreciate the community built around it. And most importantly, support the wonderful people who work so hard to make Stevens Point a better place for the younger generations!
