A Whole New World Just Down the Road: Maynard Elementary’s Trip to Tremont

Each year, thousands of young learners visit Tremont for immersive outdoor field trips in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For the third year in a row, students from Maynard Elementary School joined us for a hands-on learning experience that brings science, curiosity, and connection to life outside the traditional classroom, thanks to financial aid provided through Tremont’s Local Schools Support Fund.

Learning in the Living Classroom

During this year’s visit, 17 Maynard Elementary fourth- and fifth-graders explored the Smokies through hands-on activities, including a favorite Tremont experience: salamander investigations. Students learn how to carefully search for and collect salamanders, then spend time observing them, asking questions, and conducting small-scale investigations to better understand both the animals and their environment.

In these moments, students begin to see themselves differently – not just as participants, but as scientists conducting real field research in the national park.

In one moment captured by WBIR reporter Jillian Taylor, a student proudly shared his discovery, pointing out the unique characteristics of his salamander – a small but powerful example of curiosity and careful observation in action.

Connecting Classroom Learning to the Real World

Tremont programs are designed to reinforce Tennessee Academic Standards through hands-on, real-world experiences. Instead of only learning these concepts in a classroom, students see and explore them in action, turning abstract ideas into tangible (and much more memorable) experiences.

During salamander investigations, students are engaging with concepts like:

• Ecosystems roles and energy flow
• Interdependence of organisms and their environment
• Earth’s systems, including how water and land shape habitats
• Scientific practices such as asking questions, collecting data, and drawing conclusions

These experiences naturally extend beyond science. Students practice observation and descriptive writing, engage in group discussions and critical thinking, and use basic math skills to track and interpret their findings. It’s a well-rounded approach that helps students see themselves as capable learners and problem-solvers.

The Local Connection

Though Maynard Elementary is only an hour away from Tremont in Knoxville, many students had never spent significant time in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“Several students came with reservations about coming, having never been in the woods or away from home,” one Maynard Elementary teacher shared. “By the end of our time, those students were thrilled with Tremont and so excited to tell everyone their adventures.”

That shift from uncertainty to excitement is at the heart of what makes these experiences so powerful.

Through Tremont’s Local Schools Support Fund, schools like Maynard are able to return year after year, making outdoor learning a consistent and meaningful part of their students’ education. The fund helps remove financial and logistical barriers, ensuring that more students – especially those who live close to the park but may not otherwise have access – can experience the Smokies as their classroom.

For many students, this isn’t just a field trip; it’s a first step into a place that begins to feel like their own.

If you’d like to help make experiences like this possible for more students, consider supporting Tremont’s scholarship fund. Your gift helps open the door for the next group of students to discover something new.

Interested in Bringing Your Students to Tremont?

Tremont offers multi-day outdoor field trips for schools, designed to support classroom learning while building confidence, curiosity, and connection. Programs are available for grades 4–college, with financial aid and scholarships to help make the experience accessible. Learn more about school trips to Tremont.

Photos by Karen Metcalf.