In a powerful demonstration of environmental service learning, middle school students from The Phoenix School recently returned from Catalina Island, California, where they combined marine ecosystem exploration with hands-on conservation work to restore the island’s threatened native habitats.
Students Take Action Against Invasive Species
The 6th-8th grade students didn’t just observe nature during their Travel Study program—they actively worked to protect it. Working alongside local conservation experts, Phoenix students removed invasive plant species that have been crowding out native plants across Catalina’s hillsides.
“The work was hard, but so rewarding,” shared one student participant. “When you pull out a huge root and know you’re helping the island heal, it feels amazing. We were cheering so loud the sound bounced back to us from the mountains.”
Students focused their efforts on removing non-native date palms, pepper trees, and tree tobacco—invasive plants that have disrupted the island’s delicate ecological balance.
Environmental Service Learning: A Core Phoenix School Value
This conservation project exemplifies The Phoenix School’s commitment to environmental service learning that develops compassionate, globally-minded citizens. Rather than treating community service as an add-on activity, Phoenix integrates environmental service learning directly into its academic curriculum.
“At Phoenix, service isn’t an afterthought—it’s woven into the fabric of our curriculum,” explains Barbara McFall, Founder of The Phoenix School. “Our students understand that their actions matter. Whether they’re collecting toys for children in need, raising funds for global charities, or protecting native habitats, they are empowered to lead with compassion and purpose.”
Building on a Legacy of Student-Led Service
The Catalina Island project builds upon the school’s established tradition of student leadership through service. Phoenix’s EarlyAct Club—the first of its kind in New England and among only 24 worldwide when it launched—gives students a platform to design and lead their own service initiatives.
Sponsored by the Salem Rotary Club, this student-led organization empowers children to create and implement projects that serve their school, local community, and global partners.
Phoenix School Environmental Service Learning Creates Real-World Impact
By combining scientific field study with meaningful conservation work, Phoenix School’s environmental service learning program helps students gain more than just knowledge about marine ecosystems—they experience firsthand how their actions can positively impact the natural world.
This blend of academic learning with real-world environmental stewardship reflects The Phoenix School’s educational philosophy: that the most powerful learning happens through direct experience, collaborative problem-solving, and purposeful action in authentic environmental contexts.
About The Phoenix School’s Learning Approach
Founded in 1981, The Phoenix School is an intentionally small, independent K–8 school in Salem, MA that prioritizes environmental service learning in its curriculum. Through multi-age classrooms, project-based learning, and global environmental initiatives, Phoenix develops confident, curious, and compassionate learners ready to make positive environmental impacts in our dynamic world.
Learn more about The Phoenix School’s unique approach to environmental service learning at www.phoenixschool.org.
Tags: phoenix school environmental service learning, catalina island conservation, student-led environmental projects, invasive species removal, salem schools, environmental education, service learning curriculum, marine ecosystems, middle school conservation projects, environmental stewardship
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Since the beginning of The Phoenix School in 1981, we have been committed to being a school near the heart of the city, not only to make use of community resources, but also to be a vibrant part of our neighborhood. Even at our current location on the edge of the downtown, Phoenix kids are still a part of the
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