Students from the Harlem Link Charter School examine a turtle shell during a trip to the Meadowlands Environment Center

Hiking through meadows, dissecting owl pellets, and reassembling rodent skeletons aren’t activities that are part of the typical days of New York City students.   

Late last month, however, third graders from the Harlem Link Charter School became ecologists for a day, getting a firsthand look at plants and animals.   

More than 30 students journeyed to the Meadowlands Environment Center in New Jersey to study the park’s wildlife and natural habitat. Harlem Link was one of only two public schools in the northeast last year to win a competitive grant from the USDA Forest Service. The grant helped to create Harlem Link’s Nature Fieldwork Partnership, which supplements the school’s science curriculum by funding student excursions into nature.  

Students said they enjoyed exploring the terrain they had studied in books and classroom experiments.  

“I enjoyed this trip because it gave us a chance to explore Mother Nature,” third grader Emily Warner said. “My favorite part was when we went on a hike and saw a raccoon skull.” 

Another student, Sade Johnson, said, “I learned that animals use tools to find food, just like humans.” 

Harlem Link prioritizes experiential learning, which, according to co-director Steven Evangelista, is critical to student success. The school’s partnership with the Forest Service has exposed its urban students to a variety of environments they might otherwise never get to see, and school officials say they hope the program will help students become responsible stewards of public lands.

If you have a story about a NYC school or student, e-mail us at MyStory@schools.nyc.gov.
Please include a photo with your story. Photos of students require a signed media consent form, which you can fax to (212) 374-5584.