6,000 Second Graders at CNC this Fall

By Sam Leaf, Partnership & Outreach Specialist

One of the perks of working at CNC is that at any moment, I can leave my office, step outside, and be immersed in nature. This includes not only the sights of nature but the sounds as well. You can enjoy the sounds of a hawk soaring in the sky, a chorus of frogs in our ponds, or the many melodies of songbirds in our trees. But there is one sound that can top all of those, the sound of a yellow school bus pulling into our parking lot. Throughout the fall season, I have been able to sharpen my bus listening skills to the point where I can now discern a school bus from a lumbering garbage truck or even a hasty delivery truck from inside my office. I owe this heightened awareness to a wonderful partnership with Fulton County Schools that has kept the buses coming day after day.

This fall, CNC partnered with Fulton County Schools to participate in the first year of the Cultural Kaleidoscope program, a component of the Bridge to Success/Expanded Programs Option for Fulton County Schools. The vision of Cultural Kaleidoscope is to enrich students’ educational experiences beyond the classroom and support enhanced field trip opportunities that are Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) based. The program offers a field trip opportunity for students in each grade level: CNC was selected as the field trip site for Fulton County second graders. The experience comes at no cost to the schools or students and is generously supported by Fulton County Arts and Culture.

From September to mid-November, CNC hosted 59 schools and approximately 6,000 second graders. As part of the experience, students participated in our Creek and Cherokee program, led by our team of staff naturalists. Students explored our trails to investigate how the Creek and Cherokee obtained food, clothing, shelter, and medicine from their natural environment. They learned about the importance of the Chattahoochee River and how it influenced the lives of the Creek and Cherokee. Additionally, they were challenged to think about how the Creek and Cherokee viewed nature and discussed ways they could live in harmony with nature and the environment in their lives.

CNC is proud to provide an out-of-classroom experience and to share nature with so many students. And we are incredibly grateful for partnerships, like Cultural Kaleidoscope, that help extend our reach throughout the Atlanta metro area. Up next, the buses will continue to boisterously roll in all winter long, as we welcome approximately 4,000 first grade students as part of our partnership with Atlanta Public Schools and the Cultural Experience Project.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighted Fulton County second-graders in their article “After pandemic pause, field trips enlighten, excite metro Atlanta kids“.

Click here to learn more about the CNC Education team and programs.