A group of SSHS students, led by SSHS math teacher Mary Stone, English teacher Brian Bennion and Lindsey Bona-Eggeman of Missoula Weed District, pulling knapweed along the Lakeview trail as part of the school's Community Discovery Day.
Students hiking along the Lakeview Trail.
Joe Rediske (left) of Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation shows SSHS students how to properly extinguish a campfire during his presentation at their Community Discovery Day.
Seeley-Swan High School students use loppers and hand saws to remove branches from Douglas fir logs so they can be used as jackleg fences during the school's Community Discovery Day Wednesday, May 12.
Another project SSHS students help with was fixing the trail tread.
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley-Swan High School students took their learning schedule outside at Placid Lake during the school's Community Discovery Day Wednesday, May 12.
Trace Stone, social studies and Spanish teacher, organized the event with science teacher Shelby Holmes. He said that previously the day has been either more service or educationally oriented, however, this year was a combination of both. He believes it has been around for at least a decade.
"The fundamental reason [of the day] is to try to give kids excuses to get outside as much as possible and enjoy our place and improve our place," Stone said.
Serving on the Seeley Lake Regional Outdoor Center for Kinetic Sports (ROCKS) board, Stone plugged the students into ROCKS projects in and around Placid Lake.
The students were broken up into several groups. Many were placed throughout the trail between Lakeview and Tuppers Lake to rake and remove debris. One group near Lakeview was tasked with removing noxious weeds with the help of Lindsey Bona-Eggeman, Missoula Weed District weed management coordinator.
Another separate group, led by ROCKS Board Member Jim Fulton, used loppers and handsaws to prepare small diameter Douglas fir logs so they can be used for a jackleg fence near the Tuppers end of the trail as well as the eastern end of the all-abilities trail.
Junior Beth Homen said the event was similar to the volunteer work she has done with Montana Conservation Corps
"This was definitely new, but it was ... very familiar and it was very enjoyable," she said.
In the afternoon, student groups attended stations hosted by Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation as well as Forest Service staff. The stations taught the students everything from fire safety to camping ethics to proper food storage.
The students returned in the early afternoon where they could either participate in a disc golf tournament or help do some maintenance work on the school's greenhouse.
Junior Cyrus White said the locational difference was a nice change in their schedule.
"It's a good day to do some work and help out the community [to] make [the trails] look nice," he said.
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