The Champion Local School District is excited to be home to the Murduck Outdoor Environmental Education Laboratory, the first of its kind for Trumbull County schools. This innovative space is designed to enhance students’ learning experiences through nature and hands-on activities.
The outdoor laboratory is the vision of Champion Middle School science teacher Dave Murduck, who has spent several years seeking grants and funding for the project. He secured more than $50,000 from Go Green, Martha Holden Jennings, the PTO, Timken, Green Energy Machines, the National Science Teaching Association, NASA, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Their support has allowed us to outfit our education laboratory with several key features aimed at promoting creativity, engagement, and inclusion for all district students and the Champion community.
These features include:
- Science Pavilion: A fully sustainable science pavilion will allow students to engage in interactive science experiments, nature observation, and environmental studies.
- Solar Array: This off-grid solar panel system will generate energy independently, helping to power the learning laboratory and providing students with real-world examples of renewable energy in action.
- Handicap-Accessible Flower Beds: These raised garden beds are designed for everyone’s use, ensuring all students in our district can participate in hands-on gardening and plant science activities.
- Storybook and Sensory Trail: This handicap-accessible trail combines storytelling with nature. Along the path, sensory elements such as textured surfaces, aromatic plants, and interactive storyboards will engage students in multi-sensory learning. Our storybook feature is "An Extraordinary Ordinary Moth" by Karlin Gray.
The district welcomes the community to explore the space, outside of school hours, anytime they'd like.