The White Tank Mountains Conservancy partnered with the City of Buckeye Parks & Recreation Department for two Youth to Mountains education programs that took Place in Skyline Regional Park. Both programs were designed to introduce youth to the White Tank Mountains.
On December 13, 2022, more than 40 Buckeye homeschool students and their parents attended Homeschool Adventure Day. Attendees braved the cold to participate in multiple education activities.
A couple of weeks later, on December 29, 2022, about 70 elementary-age students attended The Base Camp school event. Students were grouped together by class and participated in different demonstration stations.
Activity stations included:
● Rock Art: The students learned about petroglyphs and were invited to create their own.
● Reptiles: The station included models of native snakes and Gila monsters. Frog life cycle information was also shared.
● Owl Pellet Dissection: Students were challenged to identify the diet of an owl by dissecting owl pellets.
● Desert Survival: Students were taught how to survive in the desert by creating shelters and building the start of a campfire.
● Mammals: Students investigated animal pelts and animal skulls, and learned about the teeth of predators or prey.
● Plant Scavenger Hunt: Students joined White Tank Mountain Conservancy volunteers, Steve Rugh and Gary Miller on a guided hike to search for native and invasive plants.
● White Tank Mountains Conservancy Table: The White Tank Mountain Conservancy volunteers educated students and parents about the importance of wildlife corridors and why it is vital that the White Tanks #StayWild.
The students enjoyed their outdoor learning experiences. The goal is to expand the Youth to Mountains program over the coming year to include more camps in both Skyline Regional Park and the White Tank Mountain Regional Park. You can learn about upcoming events on our EVENTS page.
