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Earlier this October, �鶹��ý School of Education students hiked the trails in Boulder for the annual Teachers Hit the Trail event. 

Created and organized by the School of Education Student Government (SOESG), the Teachers Hit the Trail is an annual event where School of Education students are able to learn more about creating experiences for outdoor education, connect with peers of different majors and years and enjoy Boulder’s beautiful Flatirons. 

This year, they hiked the Flatiron Loop in which during the hike they learned about the history of Chautauqua and Boulder,  as well as engaging with the wildlife in the area and identifying different plants and animals as they hiked. 

“I think it was our most successful event yet, and Mariah did an absolutely amazing job leading the event,”  said SOESG Co-President Samantha Klein.

Mariah Rosensweig, a senior in leadership and community engagement and ecology and evolutionary biology, grew up in Denver and led this year’s hike. She is passionate about connecting others with the surrounding environment and encourages everyone to take a closer look at the ground beneath them and the life that springs forth from it. 

Rosensweig highlighted the importance of understanding the history of the land from an ecological lens and a cultural lens, saying that “the ways people engage with land directly, the culture we engage in, directly shapes the kinds of species that live here.” Among the Ponderosa Pines and Flat Irons, Rosensweig gathered the group in a circle and invited people to breathe in the fresh mountain air. 

“We tend to think we are separate from nature but each breath we take physically internalizes the world around us,” said Rosensweig. 

“I like to think that each exhale is an opportunity to bring what is within us—our gifts and skills—out into the world. It creates an ongoing dialogue and relationship.” 

It’s helpful to know the plants around us to foster that relationship, so Rosensweig created a short guide to assist with plant and wildlife identification when hiking the Flatiron Loop. .

SOESG is a student-run organization with its mission focused on advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion, while creating a community for future educators. Creating meaningful events, student government finds ways to connect the School of Education community. 

Carmen Anarella is the SOESG co-president and emphasized the importance of giving future teachers opportunities to get outdoors and prioritize their self-care. The act of outdoor education, she said, “should both be rejuvenating for the educators and the students, and give practical strategies for how we can steward our environment like practicing the Leave No Trace principals.” Previously, the hike was led by alumna Loraine Glidwell, who recently graduated from the School of Education with her PhD. 

Annual SOESG events include Teachers Hit the Trail, Professional Development Day and Field Day, all of which are open to any student apart from the School of Education.