Springfield Public Schools is taking learning beyond the classroom walls with a growing Outdoor Awareness curriculum built in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation. What started as a way to introduce students to the Ozarks outdoors has evolved into a hands-on approach woven into Health, Physical Education, Driver’s Education, and activity-based learning, all designed to connect kids with nature in safe, structured, and meaningful ways.

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One of the most talked-about additions is the Controlled Pheasant Hunt, offering 5th, 7th, and 8th graders a supervised introduction to hunting. Students learn hunter education, firearm safety, and the full “field to table” process, including working alongside trained dogs to retrieve birds. For many students, it’s their first real experience outdoors, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it is just as important as the skills being taught.

SPS has also become a statewide leader in archery education, operating one of Missouri’s largest school-based programs. Nearly 1,000 students from 4th through 12th grade participate, competing across multiple levels while building confidence, focus, and connection to their schools. Add in the Discover Nature Fishing program, where students learn casting, fish ecology, and responsible catch-and-release practices at stocked ponds, and the impact stretches far beyond recreation.

From kayaking and hiking to conservation-focused lessons, these programs are about more than outdoor fun. They promote mental health, lifelong skills, and a deeper appreciation for the Ozarks’ natural resources. Thanks to the continued partnership between SPS and MDC, students aren’t just learning about nature, they’re becoming connected, informed, and community-minded stewards of it.

TO LEARN MORE about the Missouri Department of Conservation and see what programs they have available, CLICK HERE.