At Riverfield Country Day School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, students are immersed in a learning environment beyond traditional classroom walls. Situated on a sprawling 120-acre campus, Riverfield offers students from preschool through high school the opportunity to learn and engage with nature firsthand. As climate change increasingly shapes our world, Riverfield remains committed to fostering a deep connection between students and the environment—an approach that has earned the school a Green School designation in both the city of Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma.
Jerry Bates, Head of School, explains the unique value of Riverfield’s outdoor spaces, emphasizing how the entire property serves as an extended classroom. “Learning takes place throughout our campus, indoors and outside, allowing students to connect with nature as part of their educational journey,” Bates shares. “This connection enhances their academic experience and helps cultivate a sense of responsibility toward the environment.” Riverfield’s curriculum is intentionally designed to integrate nature into everyday learning, ensuring that students understand and appreciate the planet they are growing up on.
Embracing Nature from the Start
Jennifer Kesselring, Head of the Preschool and Head of Innovation and Learning for PreK through 12th Grade, echoes Bates’ sentiment, highlighting how Riverfield embraces the importance of nature in childhood. “While much of childhood today is structured and organized, children do not spend enough time outdoors—exploring, learning, listening, and observing nature,” Kesselring notes. “At Riverfield, they have the space and freedom to do that on our 120-acre campus.”
One of the school’s guiding philosophies is captured in a quote seen throughout the campus: “In order for children to grow up with consciousness around the importance of the planet and saving it, they must first learn to fall in love with it.” This belief underpins the school’s efforts to integrate nature into the curriculum from infancy through 12th grade.
“Our approach is simple but profound: we want children to understand the beauty, miracles, and mysteries of nature,” Kesselring continues. “We want their bodies, sensory systems, and nervous systems to engage with the calming and inspiring role that nature plays in their lives.”
From toddlers wading through creeks to high schoolers observing wildlife, the outdoor experience at Riverfield provides a different kind of childhood—one that fosters wonder, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for the environment. By connecting students with nature from an early age, the school nurtures future stewards of the planet.
Tackling Climate Change through Education
Riverfield’s curriculum has evolved to address the challenge as climate change becomes an ever-present issue. Jennifer Kesselring highlights how the school has been committed to connecting children with nature long before climate change was at the forefront of global discourse. However, the pressing reality of climate change now drives a deeper purpose.
“Now that climate change is such an imperative issue, we are poised to remain prominent in educating young people who will grow up to be the problem solvers of tomorrow,” says Kesselring. “We want to ensure that they have both the passion and the problem-solving capacity to design solutions with confidence and proficiency.”
Riverfield’s approach is rooted in preparing students for a world where environmental challenges will be part of their everyday lives. As part of the STEAM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), discussions about climate change are woven into projects and experiences that encourage critical thinking and creativity. Students are learning about the science behind climate change and exploring ways to mitigate its effects, conserve natural resources, and protect biodiversity.
The United Nations has emphasized that it is a child’s right to understand the role climate change plays in shaping their future. At Riverfield, that understanding is foundational to the student’s education. By providing them with the knowledge and tools they need, Riverfield is empowering the next generation of environmental leaders.
Roots and Shoots: Fostering Young Environmental Leaders
One of the standout programs at Riverfield is the Roots and Shoots class, an elective for middle school students in grades 6-8. The program, founded by Dr. Jane Goodall, is dedicated to empowering young people to make meaningful changes in their communities that benefit the environment, humans, and animals.
Courtney O’Malley, who leads the program, explains its focus: “Roots and Shoots at Riverfield looks at our school as a community and each semester, the students brainstorm ideas to improve the lives of the students, the animals on campus, and the environment.”
Photo Credit: Riverfield Country Day School
Students in the Roots and Shoots program participate in projects that range from managing the school’s honeybee hives and native bee habitats to maintaining composting systems and pollinator gardens. These initiatives help students understand the interconnectedness of environmental systems and inspire them to take action. One notable project last year saw the students spearheading a “Zero Plastic Day,” which reduced the school’s plastic waste by nine pounds in just one day. “These kids are helping save our planet at 11, 12, and 13 years old,” O’Malley shares. “Imagine what leaders in environmental change they will be as they grow.”
Gardening Club: Growing Food and Connection
In addition to leading Roots and Shoots, O’Malley also heads Riverfield’s Gardening Club, a new initiative for middle school students. The club gives students hands-on experience with sustainable food production, teaching them to plant, grow, and harvest vegetables.
“The students are excited to plant seeds and watch them grow from seedlings into full-sized plants,” O’Malley explains. “Caring for these plants helps them appreciate their food, and they’re much more likely to eat it when they’ve been part of the process.”
Beyond growing food, the club’s activities are driven by student passions. Some students focus on planting flowers, which benefit the monarch butterflies and bees on campus, while others care for indoor plants to improve air quality in classrooms. O’Malley’s vision for the Gardening Club extends beyond the classroom: she hopes that Riverfield can create a “food forest” that produces enough vegetables to supply the school’s lunches.
Photo Credit: Riverfield Country Day School
Empowering Future Environmental Stewards
The Roots and Shoots program and Gardening Club align with Riverfield’s mission to reconnect students with nature and equip them to tackle environmental challenges. O’Malley is passionate about these programs because they empower young people to see that they can make a difference. “To watch a preteen or teen realize they can create change in their community is incredible,” she says. “They’re becoming the leaders we need to reverse climate change and support people who are different from themselves.”
O’Malley also emphasizes the importance of getting students outside and engaged with nature. “If we learn to love nature, we are more likely to protect and care for it,” she explains. “Whether it’s the awe of seeing a seedling emerge from the ground or the amazement of turning food scraps into rich soil through composting, these experiences are shaping the next generation of environmental stewards.”
A Commitment to Nature and Sustainability
At Riverfield Country Day School, nature, sustainability, and climate change are more than subjects of study—they are integral to the culture and philosophy of the school. By providing students with a holistic understanding of their environment and equipping them with the tools to protect it, Riverfield ensures that its students are prepared for the future and passionate about shaping it.
As Riverfield continues to connect students with the natural world, they are helping to cultivate a generation capable of addressing the environmental challenges we face today and those that lie ahead.
Written by Amy Bates
CMO and Community Builder
“At the core of everything I love are people – family, friends, and colleagues. The opportunity to focus my skills on an effort to leverage the capabilities of technology to improve the quality of life and help protect the planet brings my professional and personal lives together toward a common goal. One Life. One Planet. One Planet Life.”
