Earlier this fall, 8th-grade students from Ruch Outdoor Community School went on a two-day hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. Their route took them from where the PCT intersects with Highway 66 at Greensprings Summit to the Pilot Rock Trailhead, covering around 14 miles. The students, accompanied by their teacher Mr. Fox and family volunteer Dawny Stockton Dwire, passed through the rugged and biologically diverse Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and Soda Mountain Wilderness. This section of the trail follows the crest ridge of the Siskiyou Mountain Range, offering stunning views both north into the Rogue Valley of Oregon and south into the Klamath Basin of California. The intrepid group also took a side hike to the summit of Hobart Bluff, where they soaked in the incredible 360-degree view of this amazing region we call home.

At the 8-mile mark on day one, the students stopped, set up tents, and made camp for the night. It was here that they were met by Ruch Principal Ryan King and parent volunteer Veronica Ward, who brought overnight gear and supplies. Mrs. Ward, owner of Bambu Restaurant in Medford, made a delicious chili and honey-cornbread dinner, along with brownies and plenty of other tasty treats. Shout out to Veronica! After a night of games, music, and s’mores, it was lights out. The next morning, everyone rose at first light, broke camp, and hit the trail. The fall colors were in full force, and the misty conditions made the scenery feel like something straight out of a J.R.R. Tolkien novel—truly awe-inspiring. After stopping for lunch above a striking deep chasm lined with volcanic pillars, the triumphant crew reached the Pilot Rock Trailhead, bringing their adventure to an end (until the next one begins).

Outdoor trips like this are so important for our youth for multiple reasons. Not only do they provide meaningful academic opportunities, but they also allow kids to challenge themselves physically, grow their self-confidence, and build positive relationships. At times, the weather on this hike was less than ideal, and the trail was often arduous, but together, the students persevered. In doing so, they supported each other as a group in a way that is impossible to replicate in a traditional classroom setting. The foundation this builds for them to move forward as a team, this year and beyond, is powerful.

Written by:  Aaron Fox, 8th Grade Teacher

Ruch Outdoor Community School has long embraced the outdoors as a key classroom. Thanks to a partnership with the City of Ashland, this commitment is expanding with a meaningful project based in the school’s adjacent nature park. The goal? To deepen environmental learning, empower students, and support the health of our local ecosystem—all while preparing for the challenges of wildfire smoke.

Awarded in partnership with Oregon State University’s ASPIRE Children’s Environmental Health Center, this grant supports hands-on science education and restoration work on the school grounds. Over the next year and a half, Ruch students will install air quality monitors, conduct forest restoration activities, and work with local partners to better understand the links between air quality, climate, and ecological health.

Our guiding vision is to give students the tools and experiences they need to become environmental stewards—starting right here at home. 

While this grant funds supplies like native plants, forestry kits, and educational materials, the true investment is in student leadership and environmental literacy. As students map photopoints, analyze seasonal data, and present to their families and neighbors, they become active participants in shaping a more resilient community.

With guidance from science teacher Steve Forrest and support from the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council, students will engage in restoration efforts that include planting native species, managing understory vegetation, and installing erosion control measures. These efforts not only improve watershed and forest health but also offer students a deeper understanding of fire ecology and resilience.
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This initiative is truly a community collaboration. Local experts will host teacher workshops in the school’s nature park, bringing regional knowledge directly into the classroom. Educational signage will be installed to inform visitors and neighbors about the work underway and the student science behind it. A community showcase is planned for spring 2026, when students will present their findings and restoration progress.

Born from a writing prompt on New Year’s goals, 4th grade students at Ruch Outdoor Community School exercised compassion for communities impacted by wildfires.  They organized a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen, a charity organization providing meals for people in crisis.  Fire hats sat in each class as students preschool through eighth grade raised cash donations for wildfire victims in southern California.  Students said they’ learned that fundraising can be hard, but teaches them hospitality. The goal was $902.72, the zip code for the Palisades.  After two weeks, the students surpassed their goal with a total amount of $1,225. Thank you to the local business who also supported this project – Applegate Fire, Sweets N Eats, Ruch Country Store, Ruch Hardware Store, and Black Barn Farm.

"Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives" - Thomas Berry.

At Ruch Outdoor Community School (ROCS), we realize the important and the magic of providing hands-on, intimate contact between children and nature as a larger part of a child's education.  Children need nature for the healthy development of their senses, and, therefore, for learning and creativity. By grasping, moving, counting, and manipulating, children learn more about the world around them.

After months of planning, Community 101 students will host a free Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday evening.

Community 101 students raised half of the money needed for the event before presenting their plans to the PTO, who matched their funds. From the decorations, to the grocery shopping, to the cooking, the students are doing everything themselves.

“That feeling of hope that’s created by an event like this really fits their mission statement," said Assistant Principal Jason Straube. "It’s been a lot of fun getting things planned.”

Community 101 is made up of a group of middle school students. The group was gifted a $5,000 grant to to focus on an issue in the local community. These students chose to focus on youth mental health.

Straube said students came up with the idea for this project at the beginning of the school year. He said students saw a need in the community for an event like this one. From the decorating, to the budgeting, to the cooking, the students did everything themselves.
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“It’s putting all of that together and the project really becomes the driving force behind their learning," Straube said. "Getting their eyes off themselves and getting it out there to the community and serving others is truly impactful.”
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The community is invited to attend the dinner tonight from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Applegate Valley Fire Department Community Center, located at 1095 Upper Applegate in Jacksonville.

Click above to learn more about the coloring book illustrated and designed by ROCS students.  Thank you Thalia Truesdell for your support and hardwork!

This year, Ruch Outdoor Community School (ROCS) is partnering with the Teton Science Schools (TSS) by joining The Place Network, a collaborative network of rural K-12 schools that connects learning and communities to increase student engagement, academic outcomes and community impact.  Alongside 21 other rural schools (see map below), ROCS will have access to sample curriculum, consulting and implementation, research to inform best practice, and assure school readiness in fully adopting the principles of place-based education.  

To learn more about how teachers and students are realizing these principles, read the article below published in the Winter 2022 Applegater newspaper written by first grade teacher, Kim Neiswanger.

As Place Network partners, schools and districts have the opportunity to immerse into a multi-year place-based
professional development experience.  This includes:

• On-site school visits
• Virtual workshops
• Shared online learning communities
• Model curriculum
• Leadership engagement

Last week, 6th grade students from Wilson Elementary School participated in the Ruch Outdoor Ed Experience.  

Students spent the first day at Ruch Outdoor Community School mastering archery skills, building nature shelters, and experimenting with hands-on fire models organized by Southern Oregon Fire Ecology Education.

On day 2, students traveled to Cantrall Buckley Park to engage in riparian lessons with the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council.  Stations included macroinvertebrate sampling, stream water testing, salmon anatomy, and planting native willow clippings.  

The last day included a hike to the infamous Bigfoot Trap on Collings Mountain Trail near the Applegate Lake.  Rumors will circulate about a possible sighting, bizarre noises in the brush, or "ape-like" shadows roaming the hillside.  Whatever stories you hear, lots of fun was had as students dug into their place with a new appreciation for the natural world.

Thank you to all the volunteers, students and staff at Wilson Elementary School for a wonderful time!  See you next year!

Ruch Outdoor Community School (ROCS), a K-8 public school in the Medford School District, is continuing and expanding a multifaceted partnership with the Southern Oregon University Environmental Education (SOU EE) graduate program.  ROCS’s pedagogical approach of place-based education aligns well with the rich field-based opportunities offered by the SOU EE graduate program.  This school year, ROCS is inviting Jackson County Parks and the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council to create the Southern Oregon Field School Collaborative.  By adding these agencies to the existing partnership, the Collaborative will further advance and widen both short-term and long-term goals leveraging unique characteristics of our rural bioregion and improving school connectedness to the surrounding community.  

There are a number of interested projects moving forward. 

First, Cantrall Buckley Park will serve as host site for day and residential programs offered through the Fall in the Field capstone project by the SOU EE graduate program.  One shared vision of the collaborative is to build permanent yurts at the park.  This will expand the usability for park patrons, as well as summer youth camps and ad hoc education programs for students in southern Oregon.  Educational programs will have access to riparian areas, forests, and hiking trails.  Lessons will align with Next Generation Science Standards and fulfill Oregon Department of Education requirements relating to outdoor school. 

Second, ROCS will sponsor SOU EE graduate students as they complete practicum credits in the winter and spring terms.  Duties may include coordinating outreach with community organizations and assisting teachers with curriculum that focuses on place-based education. 

Finally, ROCS recently completed the participant application for the Adopt A Park program at Cantrall Buckley Park.  K-12 students in the Medford School District will participate in hands-on projects along the riparian zones with the Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council. 

Schools can still register here for outdoor school day programs in the Applegate Valley, which will expand under the Southern Oregon Field School Collaborative as we enter the 2022-23 school year.

Ruch Outdoor Community School is starting the 2021-22 school year off with all classes traveling to White Oak Farm for outdoor education field experiences.  This fall, students have enjoyed interacting with farm animals, working in teams to reinforce on-site buildings using natural resources, and digging into the yearly rotation of produce grown at the farm.  

White Oak Farm offers a table during school lunch to give students fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm.  Extra produce is put in front of the school at dismissal time for families to bring home.  In addition to the tabling, White Oak Farm works directly with the Rural Schools Learning Coordinator to design and deliver garden-based lessons for all K-8 students every week at the Ruch School Garden.  These lessons extend learning out of the classroom, adds relevance to the curriculum, and provides opportunities for students to explore personal interests in agricultural practices.