Alpine Crest Outdoor Classroom and Gardens provides a unique opportunity for their students to increase the quality, quantity, and benefit of outdoor experiences. A Hamilton County Master Gardener project since 2014, Alpine Crest earned a State of Tennessee Search for Excellence Award in 2018.
Alpine Crest Elementary was built in 1957 on five acres that was under-utilized by the school. The Hamilton County Master Gardeners stepped up to redevelop the previous outdoor classroom. They built and continue to maintain the outdoor learning environment/garden that the teachers use to enhance their curriculum for their students. Master Gardeners also cleared a half-mile walking trail through the woods, established raised bed gardens for vegetables, herbs, and flowers and planted a butterfly garden with many host plants to enhance the science curriculum with the butterfly release project.
Teachers conduct STEM-centered activities in the outdoor classroom and garden areas. One-third of the school utilizes the outdoor gardening area thirty minutes daily on a rotating schedule. Each grade-level has committed to a year-long outdoor learning project:
- K – Gardening
- 1st – Trees and Trails
- 2nd – Recycling and Compost
- 3rd – Weather
- 4th – Water
- 5th – Energy
Because of the exposure to the outdoor classroom and garden environment, the Alpine Crest students have shown marked improvement in their TN Ready test scores. The third and fourth grades scored higher than 60% of Hamilton County students and the fifth grade scored higher than 50%.
Alpine Crest is located at: 4700 Stagg Road, Red Bank, TN 37415
Project Leader: Randy Haver