Century Middle School has hidden Oasis for students

Science teacher Cyndi Colston has been running Century Middle School's hiking club, Oasis, for over ten years. Oasis brings middle schoolers into Colorado's great outdoors and presents them with opportunities to challenge themselves physically and mentally. Encouraging kids to spend time being active outdoors is essential for their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Through Oasis, kids have a chance to be active outside, which is something we are seeing less and less these days. Oasis members have so much fun on these hikes and they often surprise themselves with their ability to persevere through physical challenges. Being in nature has been shown to boost mood, reduce stress, and enhance creativity and focus. As Coloradans, we are lucky to have such beautiful hikes in driving distance, and Ms. Colston works hard to find accessible trails for the middle schoolers to explore.

As a parent of Century Middle Schoolers, I have been able to chaperone a few of these hikes, and I am always filled with gratitude for the hard work that goes into planning and executing these excursions. As I hike alongside these 11 to 14 year olds, I watch them rise up to meet physical challenges and I hear them encourage one another and their bonds become deeper. I know these are experiences these kids will take with them for the rest of their lives.

Special thanks to the Century Middle School community for submitting this Five Star Story

This story exemplifies our ELEVATE Focus Area: Outside-the-Classroom Learning. Sharing stories about how the district offers students multiple learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom providing various pathways to success.