Christian Military Academy
Head Start
At Christian Military Academy Head Start Program, we believe in the power of natural spaces and nature based learning for the growth and development of our children. Our participants, along with their educators, enjoy daily learning experiences during visits to our program’s Natural Classrooms. There, they explore, experiment, and strengthen their learning skills through exploration and play.
Some of the learning experiences that occur in our Natural Classrooms include planting, outdoor reading, painting, gross motor activities, and experiencing textures such as sand, water, and mud. Teaching in the Natural Classrooms has been so meaningful that the outdoor experiences have become a favorite among the children and educators of the CMA Head Start Program.
One of the most important areas of our Natural Classroom is the Family and Community Nature Club, a group of parents and community members who help care and maintain the planting areas of our outdoor classrooms. Club members plant vegetables, herbs, and fruits, which they then harvest and sell to neighbors and program staff. Profits are reinvested in the garden, purchasing seeds, fertilizers, and tools to continue the planting cycle. Volunteers also participate in workshops related to planting, good nutrition, occupational well-being and physical activity, strengthening their connection with nature and their commitment to return weekly. Activities that encourage entrepreneurship, strengthen socioemotional development, promote sensory experiences and enrich the mind through contact with nature for our participants and families.
Below is a testimony from a mother of the program and participant of the Family and Community Nature Club:
“My experience as a parent in the CMA Head Start program’s Family and Community Nature Club has been incredibly enriching. Not only have I learned valuable gardening skills and sustainable practices that have encouraged me to harvest my own peppers in my garden and plant other vegetables and fruits, but I have also gained knowledge about food cleaning and preservation, healthy recipes using garden-to-table products, and even organizing and improving our meals to make them more nutritionally healthy. I have also built connections with community members and other parents. This community aspect has strengthened my support networks and collaborations among families. Participating in this club has developed in me a sense of belonging to the land and planting, so much so that I have also taught my daughter about growing food and caring for the environment. I feel very fortunate to be a member of the Family and Community Nature Club of the CMA Head Start program.”
-Yohanna Valderrama, mother of a CMA Head Start Preschool participant and member of the Family and Community Nature Club.
As part of the maintenance provided to our natural classrooms, the “Green Coaches” of the CMA Head Start Program are primarily responsible for protecting and ensuring the safety and care of these spaces. Inspired by the benefits we have seen from our spaces, we now offer workshops and guidance to other Head Start programs in Puerto Rico, demonstrating that natural outdoor spaces can be created anywhere. Because truly, “NATURE IS GOOD FOR EVERYONE.
