The Peña Blanca Lake Family Outdoor Day is set to take place on April 25 at Peña Blanca Lake near Nogales, according to organizers. The event will run from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and aims to provide families with opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities and learn about local wildlife.
This event highlights the importance of outdoor education in Santa Cruz County, where students have faced academic challenges in recent years. According to the Arizona Department of Education, 74.4% of students in grades three through eight did not pass the mathematics section of the AASA during the 2022-23 school year (source). Similarly, high schoolers saw an even higher rate, with 84% failing the mathematics section of the ACT that same year (source).
Attendees will have a chance to participate in a variety of activities including fishing lessons provided by Arizona Game and Fish and Santa Cruz County, nature walks led by Coronado National Forest and National Forest Foundation staff, as well as educational programs offered by groups such as Friends of Madera Canyon and Tubac Nature Center. Trail Riders of Southern Arizona will introduce off-highway riding opportunities. There will also be hands-on experiences from Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area and appearances by Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl.
Academic performance remains a concern for local educators. In English language assessments during the 2022-23 school year, data show that 66.4% of third through eighth graders failed their AASA exams while among high schoolers taking the ACT, failure rates reached 72%, according to the Arizona Department of Education. However, more recent figures suggest some improvement: In the following academic year (2023-24), Santa Cruz County saw an increase with 18% of high schoolers passing ACT math sections (source) and nearly one quarter (23.6%) of third through eighth graders passing AASA math sections (source).
Organizers hope that events like this can foster interest in learning outside traditional classrooms while connecting families with community resources focused on conservation and recreation.
