Creating a Peaceful Path: McKinley Elementary Revitalizes Nature Trail

McKinley Elementary School (Bakersfield City School District) has welcomed back its Peaceful Paths Nature Trail. This project has transformed a long-forgotten trail into a tranquil space for students and staff alike. The trail, which had fallen into disrepair over the years, was brought back to life thanks to the efforts of Leadership Bakersfield’s Team Three and dedicated community volunteers.

The history of McKinley’s nature trail stretches back to 1989, when students and community members originally constructed it. However, the trail became overgrown with tumbleweeds and abandoned over the years. Recognizing the value of green spaces, Principal Kelli Michaud engaged McKinley’s Edible Schoolyard program to revitalize the trail. She says the goal was to provide a safe space for students to connect with nature and themselves.

“That’s why we named it the Peaceful Path Nature Trail,” she said. “We’re providing a safe space for students to read, meditate, have quiet time, exercise, do counseling or therapy and social-emotional work.”

The project began when Kern Edible Schoolyards teamed up with Leadership Bakersfield, a community program overseen by the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce that focuses on professional leadership development. A Leadership Bakersfield Advisory Council member knew that Team Three was looking for a community initiative, and McKinley’s nature trail was the perfect match.

Team Three, led by Joseph Zasoski and composed of eight local professionals, enthusiastically took on the project. Their work on the trail involved cleaning, restoring, and enhancing the area to create an inviting space for McKinley students. Blue Zones Project Bakersfield, Garces Memorial High School students, and community volunteers joined in the effort, working tirelessly over the summer to complete the trail.

“The nature trail offers kids a chance to explore the outdoors, improving physical health and fostering curiosity about nature,” Zasoski said. “The way it seamlessly integrates with other aspects of the McKinley Elementary School campus is impressive.”

For the students at McKinley, the nature trail offers more than just a walk through the foliage and greenery. It includes inspirational quotes and a learning board designed to enhance social-emotional learning (SEL), promoting mental well-being and reflection.

“Students can reflect on positive affirmations as they walk,” added Vice Principal Whitney Dirkse. “Some of our students need extra help in the morning just getting their day started on the right foot. They say that it makes them feel calm as they walk through.”

Perhaps the most touching addition to the trail is a tree adorned with tags containing wishes for McKinley’s students. Michaud explained that members of the community, including teachers, hung these wishes in the hopes that the students would feel supported and encouraged.

“They’re very meaningful and a great way for the students to know the community is behind them,” she said.

The students have already felt the trail’s emotional impact. Michaud shared a story about a first-grade teacher who took her students to the trail and encouraged them to sit quietly and tune in to the sounds of nature around them.

“There’s so much going on in our neighborhood, it’s an essential need for our children to have that quiet, safe space,” she explained. “Having that time, it helps to instill that stamina they need, to sit still and focus.”

There are practical applications as well. Teachers have been using the trail for guided nature walks, incorporating science and physical fitness lessons. These hands-on lessons and opportunities for students to work together as a team are invaluable.

“Our students have to see real-life applications to their learning,” Michaud explained. “They need to understand the why behind what they’re learning. It’s all such an in-depth and important part of the learning process.”

Zasoski agreed, reflecting on the importance of safe green spaces in the lives of children.

“These areas offer a peaceful environment where students can take a break from the demands of the classroom, helping to reduce stress and improve mental health,” he said. “Green spaces serve as living classrooms where students can engage with nature, fostering curiosity and hands-on learning.”

The trail’s revitalization is just one piece of McKinley’s broader effort to provide students with enriching experiences. For the past five years, the school’s Edible Schoolyard has been teaching students about farm-to-table practices. This program includes an on-campus garden, which allows students hands-on experience with planting, harvesting, and preparing healthy, organic foods.

“They tie it between our garden and our kitchen, so the kids are learning full circle,” Dirkse said.

The school garden and the nature trail combine to give students experiences they may not otherwise get at home or in after-school activities. Dirkse says the students seem more engaged in school because they don’t want to miss out.

“It really helps with our attendance,” she said. “They do not want to miss kitchen day, garden day, STEM Day, because these are just such special experiences for them.”

Michaud and Dirkse say they both hope the nature trail and the edible schoolyard help instill in students a sense of community service and civic duty. They want students to learn the skills they need to be successful and then come back to serve their neighborhood and help others.

“The food that they grow and prepare here could go to serve others,” Michaud explained. “It feels so good to help other people, and that’s contagious. We want our students to not always be the recipient, but also to be the giver of good.”