"Take a Hike" is this year's motto at Cedar Mountain Primary School. Second-grade teacher Debbie Baumgarten, fourth-grade teacher Terry Griffin and Principal Maureen McCall attended a weeklong conference sponsored by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy during the summer. The conference is devoted to offering ideas to get the students outside, using the Appalachian Trail as a backdrop.

The first family night featured activities at Cedar Mountain including "leave no trace" activities, some trail history and points of interest and some hike safety tips. More than 70 family members recently gathered to hike the boardwalk portion of the Appalachian Trail in Vernon. Everyone was encouraged to continue to try and incorporate more outdoor activities into their lives.

Scout builds outdoor reading center

The children at Walnut Ridge Primary School have been given an environmentally appropriate reading center thanks to the hard work of Christopher Evertz, a senior at Vernon Township High School. He is in the process of pursuing his Eagle Scout badge and has spent countless hours in the past months landscaping and decorating the area on the side of the school. The center will include birdhouses and benches. He recently took some time to discuss his project with Lois Battista's first-grade class.