Everson property now an outdoor classroom, fulfilling dream of former owners
Students learn science immersed in nature through Explorations Academy’s new field campus
- Oct. 24, 2025 3:43 p.m.
By Charlotte AldenGeneral Assignment/Enterprise Reporter
EVERSON — Logan Goldstein ran up to his teacher, friends in tow. He had caught a frog. A vibrant little creature, it quickly jumped out of his hands back onto the grass.
Goldstein, 12, is a student at Explorations Academy, an independent, experiential learning school in Whatcom County. He spends part of every Wednesday with his middle school classmates on the school’s new wetland field campus in Everson. He was there on Wednesday, Oct. 22, talking about how his class is working to restore the property, when he interrupted himself.
“Oh my god! Look! Heron!” Goldstein exclaimed as the bird soared into the air above the property.
Those interactions with the natural world speak to what Nicola Follis, an Explorations Academy teacher, described as “the depth of the education” that the students are experiencing on the property, plus the social, emotional and physical benefits.
Explorations Academy students started using the space weekly at the start of the school year, after acquiring the property in May. Explorations Academy purchased the 13-acre property through a partnership with Whatcom Land Trust, which placed a permanent conservation easement on the land. Whatcom Transportation Authority also contributed $150,000 to the purchase as part of its sustainability agenda.
On a recent Wednesday, the students split into two groups: one tackled blackberry bushes by Kinney Creek, which runs through the property. Students pulled “blackberry hearts” out of the ground so the bushes couldn’t grow back, and tried to extract trees from the grasp of the invasive plant.
While tackling some canary grass, Onyx Ross, 14, said they enjoy coming out to the property and getting sunlight. Ross, who uses they/them pronouns, said in class they learn about plants and animals, but “actually seeing those things instead of just hearing about them secondhand is fun.”
The other students completed a mapping activity to observe the different habitats on the property and think about how they could develop the place to benefit humans, animals and plants.
The long-term vision for the space is to have a raised boardwalk and viewing platforms throughout the wetland, so it could be used by the public, said Jennifer Dowd, the executive director and head of school. Research could be conducted on the property, too. Restoration of the property, which includes removing invasive species like the blackberry bushes and canary grass, is ongoing. Dowd said the school is looking for partners in this work.
Dream come true for former owners
Several years ago, Michael Jay, whose parents owned the property, wrote a proposal to the Whatcom Conservation District, suggesting that the property should one day host a learning center.
A science teacher for years, it was a natural thought for him. But it wasn’t until last year that it seemed like the dream would actually come true. That’s when Jay, whose parents have now died, got connected with Explorations Academy through the Whatcom Land Trust. Jay said his family wasn’t in a position to donate the property, but they lowered the price significantly so the purchase would be possible.
His parents, Susan and Burton Jay, had bought the property years ago. Before he died, Burton planted trees and worked with the Whatcom Conservation District through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (C.R.E.P.) to restore parts of the property, Michael Jay said.
“I’m excited about this being something that I think my parents would have been really happy with, and something to help remember their interest and contributions,” Jay said.
He said Explorations Academy has allowed him to install a plaque with a photo of his parents on the property.
“I hope that people who go visit will look at it and go, ‘Hey, I can do this, too. If I’ve got some property, maybe there’s something meaningful that can be done with that.”
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
