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Exceptional outing bonds and stimulates students

A Sierra Club guide, who thinks that ''every place has a story,'' leads a field trip full of fresh air and unusual sights.

By LORRIE LYKINS
Published May 7, 2006

Their guide for the day, Hadrian Alegarbes of the Sierra Club, spotted the visitor and pointed it out to the students, who had begun to eat lunch after a morning spent observing nature.

"Look! See that thing over there that looks like a tree branch? That's a little gator!'' Alegarbes exclaimed, pointing toward the water.

A few students ambled over to Alegarbes for a closer look. Some held hands and helped one another navigate the uneven ground. One student pushed a classmate's wheelchair and angled her position so she could see.

Chanel Torres, 16, gazed wide-eyed at the alligator, leaning on Alegarbes for support. She summed up her reaction in one whispered word: "Cool!''

"These are the nicest bunch of kids in the school,'' said Patrice O'Brien, the students' occupational therapist, who made arrangements for the special field trip Wednesday with her friend Alegarbes, an outings leader for the Sierra Club.

"Most of these kids have been together for years and they really look out for each other," she said.

The field trip was a relaxed celebration of the end of the school year and graduation for two of the students, who will receive special diplomas this spring.

Both plan to go on to study at Pinellas Technical Education Centers.

Jacara Gary, 18, said she wants to study fashion design.

Lindsay Johnson, 19, hopes to work at a daycare center.

"I went to Grad Night this year and I loved it. But I'm going to miss my friends,'' Johnson said, patting the hand of classmate Jenise Harris, 21.

"I'm really going to miss Jenise because she is fun to hang around with and I like her and she's beautiful,'' Johnson said, leaning on Harris' wheelchair.

For Alegarbes, 35, who typically guides groups on long hikes and has a gift for storytelling, the students were a marked change of pace.

"I like to tell stories that connect people to places. When people get a chance to get out in nature, it opens them up to the idea that every place has a story, so for instance, when we look around here at the lake, we can make some guesses about the environment and how long the trees have been here,'' he said.

He gathered the students around a cypress tree and pointed out the cypress knees that dotted the ground.

"See those knees? Those help keep the tree in place, kind of like nails or tacks keeping it secure,'' he said softly. "And because cypress trees grow very slowly, we know this one has been here a lot longer than some of these oak trees.''

Laura Glass, 15, crouched down and ran her hand over the cypress knees. The sophomore listened intently as Alegarbes talked about the differences between the trees at the lake.

O'Brien, 47, who uses a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy, watched the scene from under the shelter. She said that being disabled may help the students relate to her more easily, but she doesn't consider herself disabled.

"I am 'occasionally inconvenienced,' '' she said with a laugh.

As the students settled in under the shade of the picnic area, O'Brien pointed out to the lake.

"See that, you guys? That's where I water ski. And I'll be out here skiing this summer.''

"You ski, Miss Patrice? Really?'' asked Johnson.

"Well, sure. I have a special seat with a ski. There's nothing to it. You just have to be sure to keep your head up because where you look is where you go, so if you look down all the time you fall,'' O'Brien explained.

"Kind of like us,'' Johnson said as she patted her classmate's hand.

[Last modified May 7, 2006, 09:55:43]