2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN
Pueblo, Colorado
nature and wildlife discovery center (K-8th)
Location: Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center
5200 Nature Center Rd, Pueblo, CO 81003
https://hikeandlearn.org/education/outdoor-explorations-program
2025-2026 School Year Classes Offered:
Students will meet on the following days from 9am-3pm:
Monday: K-1st Graders
Tuesday: 2nd-3rd Graders
Wednesday: 4th-5th Graders
Thursday: 6th-8th Graders
Friday: 9th-12th Graders
Pueblo Zoo (k-8th)
Location: Pueblo Zoo
3455 Nuckolls Avenue, Pueblo, CO, 81005
https://www.pueblozoo.org/nature-school
2025-2026 School Year Classes Offered:
Students will meet on the following day from 9am-3pm:
Wednesday: K-2nd, 6th-8th Graders
Thursdays: K-2nd, 3rd-5th Graders
Fridays: K-2nd, 3rd-5th Graders
Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center
about the facility and program
Welcome to the Outdoor Explorations Program at the Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center. This dynamic homeschool nature-based enrichment program caters to students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Nestled within the serene landscapes of Pueblo and Beulah, Colorado, we offer two distinctive campuses that facilitate immersive explorations of diverse ecosystems including riverbanks, prairies, and mountain trails.
At our River Campus, students have the unique opportunity to interact with and learn from our ambassador birds of prey housed at the raptor rehabilitation center. These majestic creatures not only inspire curiosity but also serve as living lessons in environmental stewardship.
Our program emphasizes fostering values such as preparedness, mindfulness, and environmental responsibility through respectful expedition behavior. Students actively engage in stewardship projects benefiting local wildlife, including collaborative efforts with the Raptor Center and contributions to the Pueblo Zoo. These initiatives empower students to make meaningful local impacts while gaining a deeper understanding of conservation principles.
Throughout the year, our curriculum extends beyond the classroom walls to encompass practical outdoor skills essential for life-long learning. From mastering fishing techniques and archery skills to honing animal tracking abilities and cultivating gardens, students actively participate in hands-on activities that enrich their understanding of nature.
Furthermore, our annual science fair showcases student-led experiments rooted in natural sciences, encouraging creativity and critical thinking in a supportive outdoor environment.
Join us at NWDC where curiosity meets discovery, and every adventure nurtures a profound appreciation for the wonders of the great outdoors.
Ranger Elise Lokey
Elise (she/her/hers), aka “Ranger Lokey”, manages the Outdoor Explorations Program (OEP) at the Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center, which is a tuition-free program designed to supplement homeschool curriculum with natural science, experiential learning, community-building, and self-discovery. Elise also supports a variety of other outdoor educational programs at NWDC like summer camps and handling raptors at the Raptor Center. Before she joined the team at NWDC, she gained experience in field research, wildlife handling, conservation, ecology, and public speaking as a college student and research intern at CSU Pueblo. After presenting her research to a large group of curious kids at a number of symposiums, she fell in love with the idea of inspiring young minds. Before coming to NWDC, Elise worked for Lake Pueblo State Park as a naturalist. She strives to make a difference in the world by sharing her experiences with others in stewardship, outdoor recreation, and wildlife. In her spare time, Elise likes to spend time with her dogs, and kayak, hike, shoot archery, and travel.
Ranger Maddie Calvert
Maddie (She/Her/Hers) is a Colorado native. She grew up camping with her family, biking to the Nature Center with her dad, and attending field trips to the Mountain Park. Her goal is to instill curiosity and respect for nature in children.
After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Maddie worked for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Now, she is excited to be a part of the very same programs that nurtured her interest in science and the natural world as a child.
She enjoys drawing and painting, hiking, camping, birdwatching, yoga, listening to music, and going to shows.
Ranger Frank cordova
Frank Cordova, aka “Ranger Frank”, is a lifetime lover of the natural world. While he has professional high-tech skills, he feels most alive when he’s sharing experiences, learning, and teaching people of any age in and about the outdoors. Just as the regions of the Earth go through seasonal changes each year, so does Frank embrace his own evolution through life. Frank previously was a certified master gardener, but foresees himself being a lifelong student, practitioner, and mentor of permaculture and deep nature connection. His grounding belief is that personal and collective wellness is cultivated through gratitude and healthy relationships with ourselves, one another, and the environment.
ranger SArah eitel
Sarah is a member of the Ranger Team at NWDC. She grew up in Pueblo and is passionate about showing Pueblo’s kids that the outdoors isn’t just off on some mountain somewhere; it’s right in their backyard! Sarah leads camps, field trips, public programming, and more. She hopes to make outdoor recreation more accessible for her community through education. Sarah is also working with the Raptor Center to learn how to handle the education birds while giving interpretive talks. The birds of prey have fascinated her since she began working at NWDC. She is excited about any opportunity to work with them!
When Sarah isn’t busy leading programs or helping out at the Raptor Center, she can be found grabbing coffee at a local cafe, hiking at the Mountain Park or Lake Pueblo Red Gate, or curling up with a cozy video game and her cat, Mac.
Pueblo zoo
about the facility and program
Zoo School provides outdoor learning and conservation education using the beautiful setting of our 25-acre zoo grounds and our amazing animals. Our teachers have training in childhood education and are either enrolled in teacher education programs or already graduated from one. We maintain a 10:1 ratio in all of our classrooms. The school day starts at 9am with a zoo walk and ends at 3pm with reflection time. Throughout the day, students learn conservation principles using art, science experiments, observation, and more.
Pueblo Zoo’s mission, to empower people to engage in the conservation of animals and their habitats, is integrated into Zoo School. Pueblo Zoo is committed to offering all students the ability to learn and grow by encouraging students to find an appreciation for our environment and all
those who inhabit it.
Schedule of Classes
We offer three different classes for the following age ranges:
Kindergarten-2nd Grade on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
3rd-5th Grades: Thursdays and Fridays
6th-8th Grades: Wednesdays only
Class size is limited to 18 students
Emma Jarrett K-2nd
Hi my name is Emma, I graduated high school in 2022 and I’m currently going to school for radiology. I am from Pueblo, Co and have been teaching at the Pueblo Zoo for about two years, prior to that I was a babysitter starting at the age of 12. I absolutely love teaching and working with children, my happy place is out in nature! I love going on hikes with my dogs and going fishing with my family. Nature is so important and I can’t wait to tell you all about how amazing it truly is. I’m very proud to be a part of this amazing program, I believe it really does make a positive difference in your kiddos lives, I can’t wait to get to know all of you guys! It is going to be a wonderful year!
Marisa Quintana 3rd-8th and Lead Teacher
My name is Marisa Quintana, I graduated high school in 2020 with my associates degree in general studies from Pueblo Community College. I then went on to pursue my bachelor’s degree in art education from CSU Pueblo. I also attended Intellitec College for cosmetology and graduated in 2022. I am so excited to be a part of this program for a third year because I’ve always had a passion and love for all animals and nature. Being able to pass that same knowledge and passion on to a younger generation gives me hope for our future. I had the opportunity to attend Denver's Worldmind training which is a school specialized in outdoor and gifted learning. I’m so excited for this year because each trimester we will be traveling different parts of the world focusing on different regions, cultures, and the animals in them.
Marisa Quintana 3rd-8th and Lead Teacher
Education
- Communications: Southwest Early College - Denver, CO
- General Studies: Community College of Denver -Denver, CO
- Bachelor Applied Sciences| Library Science | Medical Coding Pueblo Community College - Pueblo, CO
My Homeschooling Experience
I myself was a homeschooler! My family faced a tough decision when two of my older siblings faced bullying. It shifted my view on course work and how learning could happen. We joined an online program that allowed us the flexibility to travel to and from Colorado, Nevada, and further, as well as participate in a variety of field trips, from snowshoeing, to rafting, to the Genesee Challenge and the Boulder Boulder 10k.
Working with Students
My first job in Denver built a lifelong love. I was a trained aid who specialized in caring for special educational students as well as behavioral management.
After that I decided to pursue becoming a librarian hoping to become an educator for the whole community. This led me back to working with Pueblo City Schools as an instructional tutor.
Connection to Conservation
Some of my earliest education stressed the need for conservation in our community. We were raised to fish, hike, and camp. We had a garden and we mainly ate meat that was not bought. Enjoying Colorado means leaving what you find for someone else to enjoy. We visit someone else’s home in a sense and we need to respect those resources that allow wildlife to live.
Anne Casey; Director of Education
Education
- BS in Materials Science and Engineering; MIT, Cambridge MA
- MS in Environmental Science; University of Maryland-College Park
My Homeschooling Experience
After making a move from the Washington D.C. to rural East Texas, we found that our children were having difficulties with transitioning to their new environment and culture. We decided to homeschool and enjoyed several years learning at home with a vibrant homeschooling community. My grown children now credit that experience with their exceptional ability to “think outside the box”.
Working with Students
My career in education has spanned decades and a variety of settings. I have taught in a public charter school in rural East Texas, as an adjunct instructor for remedial math at Texas A&M-Commerce, as a STEM Specialist with Colorado State University Extension, and as an outdoor ranger at the Mountain Park in Beulah Colorado before joining the Education Department at the Pueblo Zoo in 2018. Through all these experiences, my favorite aspect of teaching is all that I learn from the children I teach!
Connection to Conservation
I am an avid gardener, bird watcher, and skier. I also love hiking the beautiful trails of Colorado. Since moving to Colorado in 2009, my husband and I continue to be amazed by the natural wonders of this beautiful state.