Shannon Genthner - Special to the Sun

The H.O.P.E. after school program at Wallace Middle School has a component that’s unique; it’s called the Hangout. The Hangout has many offerings from art to nature to learning to speak French. One well-known program to the Wallace campus is the Nature Club. The Nature Club is overseen by Mrs. Campbell, a 6th grade science teacher. This club offers fun and exciting ways to help students learn about their environment. 'Not only does this club teach you about nature,' shared Mrs. Campbell, 'but it also builds leadership skills. The kids learn how to work together in order to achieve their goals.'

Some of the activities that Nature Club members participate in are observing at the nature preserves and hiking in the local wilderness areas. Current members have been working on a few projects. One of these is testing water in the Kern River and at Isabella Lake. They are also doing some bird watching with binoculars and consulting birding guides to find native birds that visit the Wallace campus.

Nature Club members carefully removing a sparrow’s nest from the Blue Bird Box, hoping that a blue bird will soon call it home.

As many Woodrow Wallace graduates already know, this campus has a special bird house. It isn't just any old bird house; it is a Blue Bird Box. This box is specially designed for the blue bird; an endangered species. The Nature Club protects this sanctuary to help keep the blue bird species alive; periodically checking their shelter for other bird species and predators that might want to take over their protected nesting box. Nature Club members are hoping to have a successful hatch this year, helping to save a very special and beautiful bird.¬Ý