Jeffco Outdoor Labs still going strong for Colorado students amid economic uncertainties

In the foothills of Evergreen, a bell tolls at noon. Up they come, these young pioneers. It's lunch time at Jeffco Outdoor Labs, a program that has been a part of the Jefferson County school district since 1957. 

A former homestead, Jeffco Schools bought the property in the 1950s and has since turned it into something of a wilderness camp for students. 

"They had the foresight to invest in this amazing property to foster outdoor education," said Principal Becky Paschke, in her first year on the job. 

Typically, sixth-grade-aged students from around the district can be involved in the program. They are bused up to the camp for a few days, learning during the day, eating meals together, and staying overnight. For many, it's their first time being away from home or outside of their town in Jefferson County. 

Shekinah Padron is one such case, having loved her experience so much with the camp, she returned as a high schooler to become a counselor and is now an intern. 

"I came up here as a sixth grader, and it was the best time of my life," she told CBS Colorado. "It was my first time as a sixth grader being away from home." 

Volunteers, usually retirees looking to pay it forward, come up to teach the students how to fish, while teachers and interns lead hikes on the property to learn about fire ecology. Down by the main office, one group of students sits in a teepee and learns about Indigenous history while another practices archery. 

"There's nowhere else that they can get the hands-on experience like they can here," said Paschke. 

Over the years, school budgets have gotten tighter, but the Outdoor Labs program has persisted. While some student fees help fund the project through the district, and the camp is on district property, the Jeffco Outdoor Labs Foundation — a 501c3 nonprofit — is able to keep itself alive through donations ranging from small dollars to big checks. But beyond the financial resourcefulness, many community members swear by the project and how essential it is to remain. 

"When I go out into the public and I'm wearing anything that says Outdoor Lab on it, I have people stop me every single time to tell me how it changed their life," adds Paschke. 

There are some future projects for the land, including one that has been affected by the continuing federal government shutdown. A forest restoration project, which would see a trimming of brush and fire mitigation measures that require specific machinery, is on pace to begin in December. The only problem is that no one at FEMA can sign off on a final approval. 

Jefferson Conservation is working with the district and Outdoor Labs on the project and secured a federal grant that would help fund the restoration work. 

"We've been assured that it's going to happen, but we're just waiting," said Paschke. 

As lunch continues, the students eat and chat with their counselors and interns. Teachers talk with visitors, typically school administrators who are checking out the labs for the first time. 

The program is preparing to celebrate its 70th year of operation next season, and it's still going as strong as ever. For former campers turned counselors like Padron, it's working exactly the way it should. 

"If we're building them up strong and we give them the resources to be independent in life, then they'll grow up to be strong leaders of our futures," she said.