²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù

I spent the summer building a relationship with the land — not just researching it but truly connecting with it. As an immigrant from Mexico studying elementary education, I've always known the outdoors hold something special. Working at an outdoor store, I noticed who had access to these spaces: mostly able-bodied white people. Meanwhile, my family in Mexico had never considered backpacking or spending intentional time in nature. That disparity stayed with me, and my research became deeply personal.

I conducted a literature review exploring outdoor education through multiple lenses like environmental science, Indigenous knowledge systems, mental health, and decolonization. I was surprised to find that while Europe (especially Denmark and the United Kingdom) leads in outdoor education research, Canada has surprisingly little, despite our proximity to mountains and wilderness. 

Throughout the summer, I walked my dog to Dale Hodges Park overlooking the Bow River. For me, this wasn't just an academic practice, it was lived one. Following Indigenous teachings from a land-based certificate program, I introduced myself to that space, spoke to it, built relationship with it. The more I thought about my research, the more I realized that elementary schools can be equalizers. Not every child has access to green spaces outside school, but within school, we can reach everyone. My goal now is creating resources for teachers, showing them that taking thirty kids outside isn't daunting; it's transformative. 

The biggest lesson the land taught me? Trust that your passions are worthy of research. Your interests matter, and there's space for what you want to explore.