Southeast Community College

[Photo: Kari Schell (white slacks), director of Southeast Community College's Child Development Center, and Erica Seip, summer camp coordinator, pose with eight children in the center's outdoor classroom on SCC's Lincoln Campus.]

The group of 3-year-olds who spent an early July day at Southeast Community College's Child Development Center didn’t mind the humidity nearly as much as the adults who were supervising them.

In fact, they probably would have continued to play, run around and explore in the new outdoor classroom if given the choice.

The classroom, made possible by a Lower Platte Natural Resource District grant and some sweat equity by SCC groundskeeper John Spellman and a group of family volunteers, is a way for children at the center to get closer to nature.

"The trend is for more and more (child development) centers to get away from just having the plastic playgrounds," said Kari Schell, director of SCC's center.

The $2,000 grant enabled SCC to purchase shrubs, trees and other vegetation for the classroom, located on the southeast corner of the A Section on the Lincoln Campus, 8800 O St. A section of chain-link fence was removed in favor of a wooden fence, and Spellman landscaped the classroom with a decorative stone retaining wall and other amenities.

"We were looking for ways to incorporate gardening at the center," said Erica Seip, coordinator of SCC's Summer Camp for children 6-11. "Then we looked at incorporating nature and getting the kids outside. We wanted to bring nature into the children's lives."

[Photo: Children at SCC's Child Development Center search for cucumbers in the outdoor classroom.]
It began in summer 2008 with a tiny piece of ground in which cucumbers were planted. This year, youngsters helped plant lettuce, radishes, carrots, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and green peppers. The radishes have been harvested. Cucumbers, squash, tomatoes and peppers are setting on.

"We held a family volunteer night where 25-30 people came out to help plant everything," Schell said. "They spread mulch and assembled the art tables and the trellis."

The new classroom also features a stage, where preschool graduation was held, art tables and a large sand box. Three garden boxes, two with flowers and one with herbs from SCC's Beatrice Campus, are located on the center's existing playground adjacent to the outdoor classroom.

"When we first built the area, the little kids sang a song that said our outdoor classroom was done," Seip said.

Spellman, along with a designer from the NRD, developed the plan for the classroom. And in keeping with the total organic theme, the center purchased a Can-O-Worms worm composter that uses special composting red worms. The compost will be used to plant future vegetation.

Seip said she's enjoyed watching the children interact with the features of the new classroom.

"It's been neat to see the little kids," she said. "Some could care less. Others are really into it. Some get pretty excited to tell their parents what they saw today."

Both Schell and Seip are just as excited about the future of the outdoor classroom.



[Photo: Summer Camp Coordinator Erica Seip helps children in SCC's Child Development Center check squash plants. ]
"We’d like to keep adding to have things for children of all ages," Seip said.

SCC's Child Development Center is associated with the Early Childhood Education program. Prospective students wishing more information about the program are asked to contact Bethanie Grass, program chair, at (402) 437-2455.

For more information, contact:
Stu Osterthun
Administrative Director of Public Information and Marketing
(402) 323-3401
sosterthun@southeast.edu