From Wetlands to Wisdom: Awty Students Connect to the Earth Beneath Their Feet

How 11th graders are learning to love—and protect—the ecosystems that sustain us all

On a warm afternoon at Awty's campus, a group of 11th graders crouches beside four small wetland ponds, clipboards in hand. They measure pH levels, test salinity, record water temperature, and document the height of Spartina alterniflora—smooth cordgrass—a keystone species that holds together coastal ecosystems along the Gulf of Mexico. The students are quiet, focused, and curious. They're not just collecting data. They're learning to see the world differently.

"At the beginning of the year, many students say things like, 'Eww, the Galveston beach is nasty,'" says Diana Del Bosque-Hernandez, who teaches IB Environmental Systems and Societies at Awty. "But by the end of the year, they're saying, 'I love being out here in the bay!' They gain a sense of calm and joy from being surrounded by wetlands, observing the water, and recognizing that these habitats provide nurseries for countless plants and animals."

This transformation—from discomfort to wonder, from distance to connection—is at the heart of Awty's partnership with the Galveston Bay Foundation and the vision of Jesus Zepeda, Awty's first Sustainability Coordinator.

A New Vision: Earth as Community

Jesus Zepeda joined Awty this year with a mission that extends far beyond recycling bins and energy conservation. For him, sustainability is about fundamentally reimagining our relationship with the planet—not as something separate from us, but as the community we belong to.

"A Navajo man I met taught me that the Earth was my mother," Zepeda reflects. "My own mother taught me that the love a mother feels for her children is immeasurable. This is the love our Earth has for us. When our students understand their relationship to our home, as children who love and care for their parents, they too will care for and love the Earth."

This is not a message of doom and gloom, he insists, but one of love, resilience, and stewardship.

"Our Earth is resilient, life is adaptable, and will survive, recover, and thrive again," Zepeda says. "Our choice lies in how we seek to participate in this process."

For Zepeda, that participation begins right here in Houston—one of the most ecologically diverse cities in the country. "From the Piney Woods through our many Bayous, Coastal Prairies, and Wetlands, our city is alive with natural abundance," he explains. Yet many of these habitats have been drastically reduced as Houston has grown. Most significantly, the wetlands—which for hundreds of thousands of years have served as nurseries for the majority of life in the region—have been diminished and polluted.

"This is why we have partnered with The Galveston Bay Foundation to bring our local wetlands to Awty," Zepeda says.

Bringing the Bay to Campus

The Galveston Bay Foundation's Wetlands Connection program gives students hands-on experience with the ecosystems that define their home. Four wetland ponds on Awty's campus contain Spartina alterniflora, the smooth cordgrass that stabilizes shorelines, filters pollutants, prevents erosion, and protects neighborhoods from flooding.

Diana Del Bosque-Hernandez first encountered the program in the summer of 2021 during a teacher workshop hosted by the Galveston Bay Foundation. "We explored living shorelines and experienced the wetland, oyster reef, and shoreline habitats firsthand," she recalls. "We waded into the bay with nets to catch and observe small fish and crabs, conducted aquatic biodiversity sampling, discussed habitat restoration principles, and even spent time nature journaling. I was incredibly impressed."

When Del Bosque-Hernandez joined Awty this year, she knew immediately she wanted to bring the program to her students.

"Because we live so close to the coast, and because Galveston Bay is part of our local watershed, it's essential for students to understand the impact our community has on these interconnected systems," she explains. "This is especially important for IB ESS students, who study environmental systems on both a local and global scale."

At least once a month, students visit the mini-campus wetlands to conduct water quality testing—measuring pH, phosphates, temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and plant growth. They graph and analyze the data over time, identifying patterns and seasonal trends: plants becoming dormant during winter, changes in water chemistry after major weather events.

Throughout the year, the Galveston Bay Foundation conducts workshops at Awty. The first workshop introduced students to monthly water quality studies and included a hands-on dissection of Spartina alterniflora. Later workshops focus on animal adaptations in the Galveston Bay ecosystem and on living shorelines, giving students a deeper understanding of ecological interactions and human impact on coastal environments.

Students also complete nature journals, documenting ecological changes, wildlife sightings, and personal reflections. The year culminates in a spring field experience at a local wetland on Galveston Bay, where students apply the skills and knowledge they've developed on campus in a real-world ecosystem.

The Moment Science Becomes Real

For Del Bosque-Hernandez, the most rewarding part has been watching students develop genuine connections to the natural world around them.

"Many of them have never explored a wetland up close or considered how our everyday actions affect the Galveston Bay watershed," she says. "I love witnessing the moment when science becomes real for them—when water quality numbers aren't just values on a chart, but indicators of the health of an ecosystem they've gotten to know personally."

In the spring, students will have their first field trip to Galveston Bay, where they will wade into the water with nets to catch and identify small fish, crabs, and invertebrates.

"They love getting in the water, discovering what's living just beneath the surface, and working together to safely observe and release the creatures," Del Bosque-Hernandez says.

The program measures impact through pre- and post-tests administered at the beginning and end of the year. "Every year, I see clear growth in their knowledge about Galveston Bay and the ecosystem services it provides," Del Bosque-Hernandez notes. "But I've also noticed a remarkable shift in students' perspectives—they gain a sense of calm and joy from being surrounded by wetlands."

This shift from intellectual understanding to emotional connection is exactly what Zepeda envisions for Awty's approach to sustainability.

"My vision is that our school becomes a place where students not only learn about the natural world, but learn from it," he says. "Where students understand that the challenges we face are an opportunity to reimagine our relationship with the Earth."

Curiosity as a Path Forward

Del Bosque-Hernandez's teaching philosophy centers on experiential learning and scientific inquiry. "I believe that students understand environmental science most deeply when they can touch it, measure it, question it, and reflect on it—not just read about it in a textbook," she explains.

The program fosters more than environmental knowledge. Students become more confident in collecting and analyzing data, making observations, and identifying patterns. They learn to collaborate, discuss findings, notice seasonal changes, and consider their role in environmental stewardship.

"Wetlands Connection helps students move from simply learning about environmental science to thinking, observing, and acting like environmental scientists," Del Bosque-Hernandez says. "With both knowledge and a personal connection to the ecosystem."

This curiosity-driven approach aligns with Zepeda's broader vision for sustainability education at Awty.

"It is a misconception that humans are inherently harmful to our planet," Zepeda says. "I believe we can live, act, and design systems in ways that our home will be grateful for our presence. My vision for Awty is that we will cultivate a culture of stewardship, rooted in respect, reciprocity, and an understanding of our place within the natural world."

Making Their Mark with Meaning

For Del Bosque-Hernandez, the program's impact extends well beyond the school year. "I hope students leave not only with stronger knowledge and skills but also with a personal connection to Galveston Bay and our surrounding ecosystems, inspiring them to continue exploring, learning, and caring for the natural world throughout their lives."

She's seen that transformation happen. "Guiding students as they discover that they can be contributors to environmental stewardship, not just learners of environmental concepts, has been deeply fulfilling."

This is the heart of Zepeda's mission: to create opportunities for students to experience Earth's resilience and generosity firsthand.

"Through their experiences at Awty, I hope that our students grow to see that prosperity does not require harming the planet, and that caring for our ecosystems is inseparable from caring for ourselves and our communities," he says.

He reminds students—and all of us—that we are living at the edge of many tipping points. "The choices we make now, and the values that we pass on to the next generation, will reverberate in the ecosystems of our planet for hundreds of generations of our children and grandchildren."

But this is not a burden. It is an invitation.

"My mission is to create opportunities for our students to experience the Earth's resilience and generosity firsthand, so that as they grow they will choose to make decisions that are rooted in love for our planet, for our community, and for the generations who will follow," Zepeda says. "In nurturing this mindset, I believe our students will help shape a future defined not by loss, but by renewal, stewardship, and hope."

On campus, beside four small wetland ponds, 11th graders are learning to measure salinity and document cordgrass growth. But they're also learning something deeper: that the Earth is not something distant or abstract. It is home. It is community. And they have the power to care for it.

One student at a time. One observation at a time. One act of love at a time.

Rams in Action | Community Tree Planting with the Galveston Bay Foundation – Join the Awty community for a hands-on tree planting on January 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We will have a bus to transport volunteers that will leave Awty school at 8:00 and return around 2:00 p.m. If you would like to drive separately the meetup location is at the Trinity Bay Discovery Center, located at 12110 FM 2354, Beach City, TX. This service opportunity is open to all ages; and students in grades 6/6eme-10/2nde can earn community service hours for their time. Students under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Sign up here.

This article features contributions from Diana Del Bosque-Hernandez, Secondary Science Teacher, and Jesus Zepeda, Sustainability Coordinator and Science Teacher.

January 2026 Articles