West Nottingham Academy Blends History with Experiential Learning in Newly Refurbished Building

COLORA, MARYLAND – The Student Environmental Council (SEC) of West Nottingham Academy is reimagining the Steele Log Cabin building, a small log cabin originally designed to be a replica of the one used by the school’s founder, Rev. Samuel Finley, in 1744. As the students transitioned the cabin to a usable educational space, they emphasized West Nottingham’s commitment to environmental well-being by using environmentally friendly cleaners and supported local farmers by purchasing and planting native plant species to beautify the grounds around the building.

West Nottingham’s original intent was to someday use the cabin as a library or museum to house the school’s historical records, but the cabin is now an experiential learning center and alternative classroom. Materials of the type used in colonial log cabins were needed, and an abandoned log cabin in the area provided the necessary logs to complete the exterior of the building. The interior was completed using planking and stone harvested from the West Nottingham campus.

West Nottingham Academy, the oldest boarding school in America, while honoring its focus on a traditional liberal arts and sciences education, is transitioning its teaching and learning style to embrace a more project-based, experiential educational paradigm. The addition of the cabin is a part of these efforts and brings positive outcomes associated with recent research on outdoor education. For example, a recent study at Swansea University noted that students “felt a sense of freedom when outside the restricting walls of the classroom. They also said they felt more engaged and were more positive about the learning experience.” (Marchant 2019).

West Nottingham’s department chair for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), Mr. Patrick Turner, has already begun planning for and using the space for classes, including Biology and Environmental Science and Policy (co-taught with Director of Sustainability, Dr. Virginia Kennedy). Turner indicated that “SEC did a wonderful job with the cabin. We had the students identify plants, animals, and other items directly outside, and then reconvene within the cabin to discuss what they saw interacting to form an ecosystem. The space is definitely going to be a popular spot this year for faculty and students alike.”

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West Nottingham Academy is a diverse, student-centered day and boarding school for students in 9th through 12th grade and post-graduate. Since its founding in 1744, West Nottingham has prepared students for the challenges of college and life through a curriculum grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, and a commitment to the intellectual, spiritual, and social growth of each student. For more information on West Nottingham Academy, visit www.WNA.org.