Many of these 22 Stella Mayfield School sixth-graders probably slept

restlessly Sunday night, but none looked bleary-eyed Monday morning at

the Blue Mountain 4-H Center.

Their excited eyes instead were as wide as saucers. Children

stifling yawns were like moose strolling through downtown Elgin –

non-existent.

Elgin High School students Efrain Nieves and Tyler Wright can enthusiastically attest to this.

Nieves and Wright were two of six Elgin High School students who briefly became Stella Mayfield faculty Monday at the Outdoor School. The EHS students displayed poise beyond their years, teaching

sixth-graders about everything from wildlife habitat to animal tracking and the analysis of tree rings during the first day of Stella Mayfield’s annual Outdoor School.

Nieves and Wright taught the children about wildlife movement patterns and how animals propel themselves. For example, the children were shown how bears move and then asked by Wright to imitate them. Nieves may never forget how the sixth-graders responded.

The Stella Mayfield students did not look like they were imitating bears coming out of hibernation. They instead practically dived into the slightly muddy ground and began imitating high-energy bruins.

“It was amazing. The dirt did not bother them at all,” Nieves, a senior, said.

Teaching was an enjoyable experience for Nieves Monday, but he said it is not a likely career path for him.

“It has been fun but it’s hard. I don’t see myself becoming a teacher,” he said.

Junior Rachael Carrothers, who taught children about trees, also clearly looked like she was enjoying teaching Monday morning, and spoke of it like a career path she is interested pursing.

“I like seeing that point of connection (with students) expand into a different environment,” said Carrothers, who taught children about tree ring analysis and much more.

Carrothers attended Outdoor School as a sixth-grader at Stella Mayfield and recalls the sense of anticipation she felt.

“It is supposed to be fun and exciting,” she said.

Carrothers said she focused on doing her part to make Outdoor School an unforgettable experience for children because of her past experience attending it.

Many of the sixth-graders the EHS students taught Monday may not have slept well Sunday night, anxiously awaiting the start of Outdoor School, which runs through Wednesday. Stella Mayfield students and staff will sleep in Blue Mountain 4-H Center cabins two nights.

Presenters at the Outdoor School the final two days will include ODFW biologist Leonard Erickson, who will give a demonstration on using radio telemetry to track wildlife and U.S. Forest Service Biologist Mark Penninger who will talk about wildlife habitat.

The six EHS students who taught children Monday at the Outdoor School, in addition to Nieves, Wright and Carrothers also included Lizzy Fitchett, Austin Horn and Payton Mathis. All are students in a natural sciences class taught by Emily Sorensen, who helped them prepare their lessons over several months. Sorensen was at the Blue Mountain 4-H Center Monday to monitor her students and offer guidance. At a noon break she told them she was encouraged that they appeared to be enjoying their teaching experience.

“If you are having fun (the children being taught) are having fun,” Sorensen said.

Her students had made their presentations to their classmates three times in preparation for Outdoor School. Each presentation was critiqued by classmates. This taught the students not only how to use constructive criticism but also how to provide it.

“They learned how to critique others without hurting their feelings,” Sorensen said.

Several students in Sorensen’s class are ones who would not normally be involved in teaching because they are not outgoing. She was gratified Monday with how they did.

“They had been pushed out of their comfort zone. They excelled in an area they normally would not have,” Sorensen said.

Elgin teachers and staff who had seen the students develop as individuals were delighted with the progress they witnessed.

“It made us beam with pride,” Sorensen said.

The six students who taught Monday are among almost 20 EHS students who will assist with the Outdoor School this week. The others include counselors Justis Weaver, Kyle Ludwig, John VanArsdale, Andrew Naughton, Dylan Crouch, Ronny Church, Lauren Sauers, Shelby Smith, Seaira Reid, Morgan Reid, Taylor Luse and Shannon Strickland.

The Outdoor School is being run by Stella Mayfield teachers Metta Willmarth, Carolyn Erickson and Sandy Rysdam. Meals are being prepared by district substitute Suzanne Hanson.