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8th-grade level and by involving new partner schools. We plan to host teachers in an informal workshop to assess their needs for the coming year, and then to use the videos and lesson plans we already have, adding and modifying where necessary. After seeing the tremendous impact this program has had during the pandemic, we can’t wait to see it thrive in new educational “ecosystems!” Our in-person Nature School programs are also growing. Last fall, we instituted a Coronavirus Safety Plan and downsized our programs to allow us to once again host children and families in-person at Agraria. Many youth programs throughout Ohio remained closed, but we saw an opportunity to serve families through our masked, all-outdoor activities. And people took advantage of that opportunity. Our Winter Camp, Deep Winter Camp, and pilot After-School Program have all been at capacity! And while field trips were banned by the state, several incredible opportunities emerged this spring. High school and middle school students from the Miami Valley School managed the transportation issues and visited Agraria to study soil health and biodiversity, and also get their hands in the soil for invasive removal. Meanwhile, middle schoolers from Yellow Springs Schools visited Agraria and Glen Helen to reclaim part of a key 7th-grade tradition– the Into the Wild project. Since the communal 53- mile bike ride and camping integral to this project was impossible this past fall, students hiked along our recently cleared, not-yet-constructed bike path from their school to Agraria, where they monitored bluebird boxes and counted macroinvertebrates in Jacoby Creek. We were excited to have something to offer these students, who spent much of the year in distance learning! This summer, the Nature School begins a new partnership with KIND Dayton, a free inner-city youth education organization in Dayton that serves K-6 students. KIND’s focus on the holistic well-being of children led them to partner with Agraria to offer an outdoor experience beyond what is possible in Dayton. Every other Saturday throughout the summer, these children will be picked up in Agraria’s new passenger van and come for a full-day visit, where they will participate in the Nature School’s program of nature connection and outdoor skills. It has been a welcome respite from pandemic monotony to see the children explore and play all over Agraria in every kind of weather as they built fires and shelters, worked together to cross Jacoby Creek, and discovered new human and non-human friends. The outpouring of interest in our in-person programs and field trips shows us that our community is ready for all Agraria has to offer. David Diamond is education coordinator at Agraria. AGRARIA JOURNAL 2021 35 Agraria received the 2021 Connect to Nature Site Award presented by Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside (MVLNCI). Shown from left are Teddy Pierson, a naturalist and member of the Agraria land team, student Jaelah Nonis, education team member Kelly Hudson, student Ariana Nonis, Doug Horvath, of Five Rivers Metro Parks, and education team member Emily Foubert. Story time for nature campers