Mesa Valley County School District 51, Gateway, CO
Others | Wilderness | Learning | Self
About Us
The Outdoor Wilderness Lab (OWL) is an outdoor science school owned and operated by Mesa County Valley School District 51. Located in Grand Junction, the heart of one of the most iconic landscapes in Colorado, it features diverse habitats, sandstone buttes, and open skies in abundance. Surrounded by the Unaweep and Dolores River Canyons with West Creek running right through the center of campus, OWL's unique learning environment invites students to explore the natural world around them with curiosity and critical thinking at every turn!
Explore Gateway/ Unaweep:
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“When we were learning it didn’t really feel like we were in a classroom. It felt more like we were experiencing it. Honestly it felt more like a family than a group of teachers trying to teach us.” - Delylah Swofford (Bookcliff Middle School, Spring 2020)
Mission
Provide every student with meaningful learning opportunities by experiencing science and overcoming social-emotional challenges outside.
Vision
Engage every D51 learner in unique learning experiences that explore the conservation of natural resources in our local environment and empower health and wellness for our learners.
Values
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Others
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Wilderness:
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Conservation: Environmental education We teach conservation through environmental education, which provides the foundation for all of OWL's programming. Conservation is embedded into each and every learning opportunity students experience.
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Learning:
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Experiential Education: OWL's curriculum focuses on naturally-occurring phenomena that are abundant and easily accessible for all students. This allows students to experience what they're learning in tangible and authentic ways.
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Standards-Based Education: OWL is a school. It's curriculum and instruction are firmly grounded in Next Generation Science Standards and Mesa County Valley School District 51's Social-Emotional Learning Framework.
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Learning is a Process: OWL supports the D51 Learning Model in that students learn best when they experience unique challenges in ways that are meaningful to them individually and embrace a growth mindset throughout the process.
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Self
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OWL For Life: OWL is just the beginning. It's where the skills and knowledge students have gained in the classroom meet real-life experiences that bring that learning to life. The learning continues after they leave OWL.
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OWL Code
As an owl I will do my best to…
Treat others and myself with dignity and respect,
Protect and appreciate the outdoors,
Learn every day, even when it’s hard,
Adapt, improvise, and overcome challenges before me.
Others, Environment, Learning, Self
OWL History
OWL was created in 2012 when a group of teachers from Bookcliff Middle School and officers from Colorado Parks and Wildlife took thirty-three 6th graders on an unforgettable outdoor learning experience.
During its first 7 years, OWL was run as a pilot program, for 1 week per school year with a volunteer staff at various camps in the mountains surrounding the Grand Valley. Its focus was developing its curriculum and building systems that allowed the amount of students who attended each year to steadily grow.
By year 7, OWL was serving 150 students in a single week and the time had come to begin looking for a permanent home. In order to continue growing the amount of students it could serve, it needed both a facility and a staff that could operate year-round. So many selfless volunteers and generous community members contributed to get OWL to this crossroads and we can't thank them enough! Yet, in 2019 when the opportunity arose to move to the D51 Gateway School, it became clear that OWL had finally found its home.
In the fall of 2019, construction began at the Gateway School, bringing OWL to life. Staff were hired and programming was developed that focused on the unique natural environment OWL's new home. In the spring of 2019, OWL hosted its first students.
In the fall of 2025, OWL relocated to Grand Junction due to flooding risk.
OWL Campus
The Land
OWL operates out of the Wildwood Properties in Grand Junction. This stunning setting offers a unique blend of high desert beauty and easy access to incredible outdoor learning environments. We are proud to call this remarkable landscape home!
Located at the base of the Colorado National Monument, the campus is surrounded by dramatic red rock formations and expansive views—an inspiring backdrop for exploration, learning, and connection in the high desert landscape OWL calls home.
Outdoor Classrooms
Here at OWL, we like to use the natural land as our classrooms. We spend nearly all day outside providing experiential based learning opportunities. Students learn how to respectfully learn and play in the outdoors while participating in a variety of environmental science lessons.
Lodging
OWL's tent-cabins provide a comfortable home away from home after students have had a long day learning and exploring.