RISE Program Newsletter

🌳 Curious About Carpooling?
🌳 Sibling Section: Options for Families

Friday, April 25, 2025

10:00 am - 3:00 pm (arrive at 9:40 for check-in)

Hidden Springs Family Ranch

3077 Messilla Valley Rd

Oroville, CA 95965

Driving Directions

Parents

You'll have the option to drop off your student or stay on site. Feel free to observe as students participate in activities, or choose to relax on the front porch in a rocking chair with a cup of tea.

Students

When you first arrive, you'll be in awe as you take in the beautiful scenery and baby animals, join your friends on the basketball court or soccer field, or hang out with your group by the log cabin.

🌳 Station 1: Science Scavenger Hunt + Hike

Venture into the woods and discover the wonders of the farm’s natural environment! Students will embark on an interactive science scavenger hunt, searching for fascinating flora and fauna while sharpening their observation skills. As they explore, they'll work together to identify key elements of the ecosystem, from towering trees to tiny insects, noticing the intricate details that make up the world around them. Throughout the activity, students will apply Earth, physical, and life science concepts, deepening their understanding of the natural world and its many int erconnected systems.

🌳 Station 2: Geometry in the Garden

Roll up your sleeves and dig into gardening! Help us prepare for spring by building raised garden beds, planting vegetables, and tackling pruning and weeding. Explore how geometry can help us design physical space and how math can help us budget for projects!

🌳 Station 3: Nature-Inspired Art + Writing

Observe, connect, and create with nature! Let the landscape around you inspire words to paint on rocks for our rock garden. Then create a comic strip from the point of view of one of the details you've observed - how does the day look from the point of view of the ant? or the cloud in the sky? Play with art mediums and words to capture the details of the day in creative ways.

MENTAL MINDSET

• Be prepared to move. The farm is BIG! Just getting from one station to the next will be a .25 mile walk.
• Be prepared to get messy. We will be outside the entire day, on the trails, in the garden, at the pond and in the barn.
• Be prepared to have fun! Between activity stations, baby animals, and hangout time with friends, there will so much to enjoy and experience.

WHAT TO WEAR

• Dress with layers for cool weather - there's a chance of rain on Friday
• Wear long pants (no shorts!) that can get dirty
• Wear closed-toed shoes suitable for walking and interacting with animals
• Consider sun-screen or other protection since we will be outside

WHAT TO BRING

• Full Water Bottle - you can refill throughout the day
• Sack lunch and snacks (no nuts please)
• Lightweight jacket and/or hat in case of rain
• Backpack to hold your layers, lunch, etc

If your student wants to attend and needs a carpool option, we want to know!

Let us know by completing the registration form linked below. This form will give you a place to communicate your interest in carpooling, and provide details like your contact info and where you're located so that we can help you connect with other parents in your area.

Are you willing to transport other students?

We have a number of students who are hoping to attend but need transportation help. If you are planning to drive and have room to bring along additional students, we would love to connect you with other parents in your area. Communicate your interest in the registration form below or by reaching out to wendy.coller@cottonwoodk12.org.

We would love to see every interested RISE student attend! As we receive responses, we will help facilitate connections between parents in similar locations.

If you want to spend the day on or near the farm, there are great options available to you! Parents who drive their RISE student to the event have the option to stay at the farm with siblings, or plan their own adventure in beautiful Butte County.

Stay on Site with Siblings

We have a limited number of spaces available for siblings at the retreat. Parent must register siblings ahead of time using the same registration form as for RISE students. Once at the farm, parents must stay with siblings at all times for the duration of the event. Families will explore sections of the farm with their children while RISE students are off on their own adventure.

Plan Your Own Adventure

There is so much to do near the farm! Hidden Springs is a short 25 minute drive to Chico, CA, home to beautiful Bidwell Park, multiple museums, and outdoor spaces. Lake Oroville is literally a stone's throw away with all that it has to offer including fishing, hiking, and the visitor center. Check out this article for ideas.