Headwaters’ fall program with the Quarry Lane School from Dublin was a really fun, educational program. But we got a surprise gift recently from many of the students who participated in the program: written reflections on their trip. Below we highlight some of the common threads running through their comments, which really illustrate the benefits of Headwaters science programs.
Educational Freedom
Many of the participants, like Devin Banister, appreciated the chance to do “real life field research.” Another Quarry Lane student wrote, “I like how we could choose what topic we wanted to research. Also, I like how we get to do field research and can get our own data for a research plan that we created.” At HSI, we believe that this crucial component of asking students what interests them, rather than assuming we, as educators, already know, is a unique and powerful benefit of our educational programs.
Being Outside
Many students, like Justin Chan, wrote about their joy in spending big 
parts of their days working outdoors: “I really liked the hiking and adventure every day.” For Sarina Randhawa the environment brought students together: “I really liked the hikes that we went on, and the new friends that I made!” Malina Gill added, “I especially liked hiking in nature.”
Hands-on Learning
As Ananya Velpuri notes (and Malina Gill echoes), “Headwaters teaches you things that could never be taught in a classroom.” Adit Shah adds, “The experience was definitely a memorable one, as we learnt how to accurately collect and analyze data.” Like many students who have experienced a Headwaters Science Institute program, Devin Bannister, “enjoyed getting education outside of a classroom.”
Fun!
Many of the Quarry Lane group found themselves having lots of fun, even those who, like Andrew Park, expected the program to be “a lot more like a school.” By the end of the week, Andrew came to the conclusion that, “it was really fun!” This conclusion was shared by many students, like Malina Gill (“Overall, it was super fun and I cannot wait to come back.”), Sarina Randhawa (“Headwaters was very fun.”), Justin Chan (“I really enjoyed the Headwaters trip. It was very fun and productive at the same time.”), Ameenah Eldeeb (“My experience at Headwaters Science Institute was something I will not ever forget.”), Ananya Velpuri (“Over all, the Headwaters experience was exciting and educational, not to mention fun.”), and Chase Koth (“My trip with Headwaters was amazing.”).
