November 2026
Yocum Elementary students have a newly revitalized space for learning, exploring and connecting with nature thanks to a grant funded by the El Dorado Education Foundation.
Second-grade teacher, Leanne Barnett, wrote the grant with the goal of transforming the school’s outdoor classroom into a more functional learning environment. The project was inspired by research showing the benefits that fresh air, natural light and time outdoors can have on the mental and physical well-being of both students and teachers.
The revitalized outdoor classroom now includes a large rug for whole-class instruction, a whiteboard and a cabinet stocked with basic classroom supplies. Sit spots have also been added to the existing benches, giving students comfortable spaces to complete independent work while learning outdoors.
The project also brought a hands-on gardening component to the space. New garden boxes were assembled, and members of the local Dirt Friends group joined Yocum’s second-grade students to plant vegetables. Students will continue caring for the plants as they grow and will eventually have the opportunity to harvest what they planted.
The outdoor classroom will provide Yocum Elementary teachers with another setting for meaningful instruction while giving students opportunities to learn beyond the traditional classroom walls.
Yocum Elementary is grateful to the El Dorado Education Foundation for generously funding the project and to Dirt Friends for sharing their time and knowledge with students.
