Mr. Joe Borak has made it his mission to instill a deep appreciation for nature in the students he teaches. However, his journey into the realm of outdoor education began long before he stepped foot in the classroom.
“My dad introduced me to the outdoors through hunting, fishing, camping and hiking. It was, and continues to be, something that we do together,” Borak said. “I was then able to find a bunch of friends with the same interests in school and we all continue to do things outdoors together.”
Those childhood experiences laid the foundation for his future career as Hermantown Elementary’s outdoor education teacher. Armed with a love for the outdoors and a passion for teaching, Mr. Borak took over the outdoor education program in the fall of 2022, determined to share the wonders of the outdoors with the next generation.
“I get very passionate about bringing kids outside, especially in the woods, to experience things they might not normally get to experience,” Borak said.
Mr. Borak's classroom extends beyond four walls. The school's backyard became an outdoor learning space, complete with a school forest and nature trails. His curriculum goes beyond textbooks and changes with the seasons, with lessons that involve hands-on experiences like pressing apples into apple cider, Sugarbush and building shelters for winter.
Some of his favorite lessons this fall have been archery, geocaching, apple pressing, shelter building and checking trail cameras to learn about animals in the woods, but Mr. Borak also has big plans for the remainder of the year. He has lessons in winter survival, skiing, snowshoeing, (possibly) ice fishing, and Sugarbush planned as the year continues. Mr. Borak also heads the annual fourth grade field trip to Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in the spring.
Mr. Borak’s outdoor education program stands as a testament to the profound impact his father had on shaping not just a teacher, but now an entire community's relationship with the outdoors.
“My dad was not considered a teacher, but I have to give him the credit,” Borak said. “He got me hooked on being outside and helped me realize the importance of being outside. I am very lucky to be able to share that with students now as an outdoor education teacher.”
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