Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center is the environmental education arm of Mikell, hosting groups throughout the year from across the state and beyond.

Becca Frowine (pictured above in the purple sweatshirt) leads a talented staff of instructors, many of who have been at Blue Ridge for several seasons: Klio (asst. director), Adam, Eli, Kincaid, and Alena. They spent two weeks in February training and preparing for the upcoming season, and groups started arriving last week. It has been a whirlwind start to the season!

Most weeks, Blue Ridge hosts two groups for 3 days and 2 nights each. Students range in age from elementary to high school, with lots of fifth-grade groups. (11 is a great age to fall in love with nature!) Teachers choose from the 15 daytime classes and 6 evening programs that Blue Ridge offers.

Some favorite activities are aquatic ecology and the solo hike. In aquatic ecology, students spend time in Little Toccoa Creek, assessing the health of the creek based on what they observe living there. They might find dragonfly nymphs and stonefly nymphs, some of the key indicators of overall health. In the solo hike, students spend time on the trails around Mikell, distanced (but not too far!) from one another. They get the opportunity to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of nature and take it all in – many for the first time.

Please keep all the students who will visit Blue Ridge – along with Becca and her team – in your thoughts throughout this spring season.