LHG wins Friend of Education award

DES MOINES - The Leopold Heritage Group of Burlington has received a state education award for its ongoing effort to establish an outdoor classroom at Aldo Leopold Middle School.

The Iowa State Education Association has named LHG a Friend of Education for 2011.

Recognizing education is a total community effort, and each year, the ISEA honors a citizen or organization with the Friend of Education Award for their outstanding contribution to education in their community.

The Leopold Heritage Group was founded in 2004 to promote the legacy of Aldo Leopold, an internationally known conservationist, writer and educator who was born in Burlington.

Students, educators, local businesses and members of the community worked under the leadership of the Leopold Heritage Group to design and construct a two-acre outdoor classroom at the front of Aldo Leopold Middle School.

Science students participated in the project by planting prairie grasses, flowers, trees and shrubs. The naturalistic amphitheater, created from large rocks, provides a natural setting for students studying reading, science, music, art and other subjects.

"Planning and constructing the outdoor classroom for Leopold Middle School truly embodies the Friend of Education Award," ISEA President Chris Bern said. "The Leopold Heritage Group worked tirelessly on behalf of the students at Leopold Middle School and the greater community and have created a legacy reminding all of us of where we come from and the importance of education."

The group also was nominated for its annual Wild Words & Art essay, poetry, art and photography contest, as well as bringing in guest speakers and sponsoring one of the Iowa premieres of the "Green Fire" documentary on Leopold produced in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Aldo Leopold joining the U.S. Forest Service.

The ISEA is a professional organization of more than 34,000 educators dedicated to supporting and protecting a quality public education for all Iowa students.

Aldo Leopold Middle School outdoor classroom

In cooperation with the Burlington School District, the Leopold Heritage Group is spearheading installation of an outdoor classroom at Aldo Leopold Middle School. The plan calls for creating several rock outcrops, several low earthen berms, a 525-foot winding trail through several prairie plantings, a covered shelterhouse, a bird-feeding station and a circular stone seating area dubbed the Leopold Circle, which will feature selected quotes by the author of “A Sand County Almanac.”

Great progress was made in 2011, and more is planned this year.

Anyone wishing to make a contribution of money, materials or time to the project can contact LHG member Dave Riley at (319) 758-6828.

For more photos, visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/leopoldheritage