This Autumn, AWB PE teachers Miss McClave and Mr. Herwick teamed up with Miss White to guide UPK-5th-grade students through A.W. Becker's Barbara Austin Nature Trail during PE classes.
Students adventured on the trail for exercise, enjoyment, and discovery. They also learned about the mental health benefits of hiking, safe etiquette for trails, and searched for flora and fauna on a scavenger hunt.
A huge thank you goes out to our amazing Buildings & Grounds crew, who worked hard to get the trail in top shape!
The Barbara Austin Trail:
Created over a decade ago on a small piece of wooden land on the north side of the A.W. Becker Elementary campus, the Barbara Austin Trail has long been a place for exploration and learning.
In June 2023, the school hosted a grand re-opening to renew interest in the trail. Fifth-grade students helped plan the event, which featured a ribbon-cutting by Town of Bethlehem officials, along with games, crafts, and a scavenger hunt. Earlier in the 2022-23 school year, third graders teamed up with RCS High School art students to design wooden signs teaching visitors about local plants and animals. RCS and Becker alum Carter Dixon (Class of 2024) also contributed to the trail’s reopening by identifying trees and adding stone and mulch as part of his Eagle Scout project.
Thanks to these efforts, the Barbara Austin Trail continues to grow as both a learning space and a symbol of collaboration across the RCS community. Check out the Spotlight Article about the re-opening here.