Summer Course Inspires Budding Ravine Stewards
Crescent’s Summer Academics Program introduced a new Grade 11 Environmental Science course this year that sent students into the school’s “backyard” ravine to study and map out plant life, identify and remove invasive species, and collect seeds of native plants.
This program advances ravine stewardship and, in the long term, will support and enrich critical campus infrastructure, one of the goals identified in Breakthrough 2030, Crescent’s strategic plan for 2025–2030. Launched in partnership with the University of Toronto, the course immerses students in hands-on learning that brings science out of the classroom and into the natural world.
During the summer, students spent their days in the school's ravine, using the landscape as a living laboratory. “We use the school’s cabin as an operating base to give lessons and study samples of soil, water, and plant biota,” says faculty lead Robert Costanzo, noting the “tremendous growth” he saw in students, who were identifying species and culling invasive plants by the end of the course.
For this year’s crop of students, the impact was immediate and eye-opening. “It’s really cool to have the opportunity to do this kind of fieldwork,” says Tyler, a student in the program. “I can’t really look at ravines the same anymore. Before, I thought all green space was good. But now I see invasive species like dog-strangling vine as real threats to native ecosystems.”
The partnership was born from discussions with Dr. Eric Davies, forest ecology researcher at the University of Toronto. “Many of the projects Dr. Davies was working on mapped directly onto our Environmental Science course,” says Ari Hunter, Head of Upper School and Director of the Summer Academic Program. “This created a wonderful opportunity to enhance the course while also supporting the larger vision of Dr. Davies.”
Dr. Davies sees this as the beginning of a lifelong connection for students. “If at a young age, you can discover nature and appreciate the benefits of stewarding it in a wise way, it’s good for you and it’s good for the world.”
