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Ray Wolman
Instructional Officer
Tucked away from the city, Katy ISD's Kenneth D. Welch Outdoor Learning Center
is nestled on 35-acres of land kept in its natural state. The OLC is a place
where plants and animals live and grow and where science and social studies
lessons spring to life as students at all grade levels participate in hands-on
activities.
The buildings on the property were designed to blend with the natural setting
and help students experience life as early Texans. They include living history
and science classrooms, a museum and a barn with a blacksmith shop. Lending to
the charm of the facility is a barnyard with domestic fowl and animals. Nature
trails meander through the woods leading to a pond stocked with fish.
The school district is currently expanding the services and classroom
experiences offered at the OLC. A living history classroom has been added where
teachers and students participate in interactive lessons, and in the science
classroom, students explore and discover native plants and animals.
Each spring, the OLC hosts the annual Katy Folk Life Festival which is a
reenactment of life in Texas in the early 1800s.
During the summer, an outdoor education program is offered where children
learn while enjoying canoeing, fishing, outdoor cooking, nature crafts and air
rifle instruction. On hot summer mornings, students may be found paddling their
canoes around the pond or standing on its banks quietly fishing as ducks mill
around looking for food.
The OLC is an example of how Katy ISD uses its resources to provide quality
education for its students.
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