Outside the brick walls of Stearns Junior-Senior High School in Millinocket, Maine, outdoor education isn't an afterthought—it's woven into the fabric of how teachers and students move through their days. Anna Loome, an English teacher, leads her middle and high school classes into the surrounding wilderness near Baxter State Park, teaching navigation, trail maintenance, and overnight camping expeditions to places like Haskell Hut in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. But Stearns' success isn't accidental. A new study by University of Maine researchers reveals the specific conditions that allow schools to turn their natural surroundings into world-class classrooms.
The research matters because outdoor education works. Studies show it decreases behavioral issues, improves self-regulation and motor-skill development, strengthens social skills, and can even help with chronic absenteeism. Yet many schools struggle to provide these opportunities despite the evidence. "What our study allows is to identify some real-world solutions to common barriers or problems that could help other schools achieve the desired outcome of providing more opportunities to get kids outside," said Lauren Jacobs, the study's lead author and senior lecturer of outdoor leadership at UMaine. The findings, published in The Rural Educator, emerged from Jacobs' examination of nine preK–12 rural Maine schools during the 2021–22 school year, followed by an in-depth look at one standout model.
The successful school had several distinguishing features. Physical education curriculum incorporated outdoor learning at all grade levels, with dedicated outdoor education classes for upper-level students. Teachers received professional development to align their teaching with state and national standards. The school culture—shaped by strong parental support and community partnerships—treated the outdoors as a legitimate classroom, not a break from "real" learning. Community members actively supported the mission, with local organizations and parents providing both encouragement and resources. Even the COVID-19 pandemic inadvertently helped by pushing students and teachers outside, where the virus was less likely to spread.
Stearns itself embodies many of these principles. Loome has taken professional development courses with Jacobs to strengthen her curriculum. The school taps partnerships with organizations like the Outdoor Leadership and Skills Program at Northern Penobscot Tech Region 3 in Lincoln, which prepares juniors and seniors for the Registered Maine Guide Exam. A community gear library in Millinocket allows residents to borrow equipment for outdoor exploration. The nonprofit Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters provides place-based learning programs that connect students with equipment and experiences.
Loome notes the diversity in her classroom: some students arrive with years of outdoor experience, while others are trying these activities for the first time. "My goal is to help kids get access to the skills they need to participate in a lot of the amazing recreational activities we have right in our backyard," she said. This inclusive approach—offering something for everyone—captures what makes outdoor education powerful. It's not about elite adventurers or the naturally outdoorsy; it's about giving all students the foundational skills and confidence to engage with nature.
The study identified barriers too, particularly around time management and professional development scheduling, suggesting that schools looking to build similar programs shouldn't expect overnight transformation. Yet the Stearns model shows that with intentional leadership, community buy-in, and dedicated resources, schools can turn the landscape outside their doors into educational gold.