WOLF School Celebrates 37 Years of Transforming Outdoor Education

Anniversary Celebration Set for March 20–22, 2026, at Camp Monte Toyon

APTOS, Calif., March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Web of Life Field (WOLF) School is proud to celebrate its 37th anniversary, marking more than three decades of immersive, field-based science education that has impacted generations of students across California.

Founded in 1989 by Aptos native Randy Widera, WOLF School began with a simple but powerful vision: to connect young people to the natural world through hands-on, outdoor learning experiences that awaken curiosity and stewardship. What started as a single program at Camp Monte Toyon has grown into a multi-campus organization serving more than 12,000 students annually through its four residential campuses and its coastal marine science initiative, Camp SEA Lab.

A Vision Rooted in Connection

Widera originally launched the program as Science and Environmental Adventures in Learning (SEAL School), inspired by his work in environmental education and mentors in the outdoor school movement. Early on, the program merged with United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) becoming the WOLF School, a name reflecting the ecological "web of life" and the belief that students thrive when they understand their place within the interconnected systems of nature and community.

Reflecting on the milestone, Widera shared:

When I think back to those first days at Monte Toyon, I remember standing in the redwoods hoping that we could create something that mattered in children's lives. What I could never have imagined was the extraordinary community that would rise up around that vision.

WOLF School was never built by one person. It was built by passionate naturalists who poured their hearts into every lesson, by teachers who trusted us with their students, by staff who stayed up late comforting homesick kids, by kitchen teams who made camp feel like home, and by administrators and board members who believed in the long game.

For 37 years, it has been thousands of small, loving acts: a counselor remembering a child's name, a teacher encouraging a shy student to try, a staff member noticing when someone needed to be seen. These acts are what have made WOLF School what it is. I feel nothing but gratitude. Watching students step into the forest uncertain and leave confident, connected, and proud has been one of the deepest joys of my life. The real legacy of WOLF School belongs to the people who showed up, week by week and year after year, to make it possible.

Leadership, Growth, and the Sea

For the past 25 years, WOLF School has been led by Director Heather Butler, who succeeded Widera and guided the organization through significant growth, innovation, and resilience.

"WOLF School has always been about more than outdoor education," Butler said. "It's about helping students feel seen, capable, and connected to nature, to each other, and to themselves. Over the last quarter century, we've expanded our programs while staying grounded in the core belief that belonging is the foundation of learning."

In 2020, Butler oversaw the formal merger of WOLF School with Camp SEA Lab, bringing together forest and marine science education under a single unified vision.

Camp SEA Lab's roots stretch back to 1997, when a group of local teachers, scientists, and resource managers from marine science and education organizations around Monterey Bay came together to address a need for stronger marine science education in local schools. They developed a plan for a residential marine science program that would capitalize on the region's unique natural and institutional resources.

Supported by broad-based community advocacy and seed funding from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, California Sea Grant, and the California Coastal Commission, Camp SEA Lab launched its first one-week pilot camp in the summer of 2000. Built on collaboration and regional partnership, the marine science program quickly became a respected leader in hands-on marine science education.

The 2020 merger strengthened both organizations, expanding access for students by creating a seamless educational arc from redwood forest ecosystems to the living laboratory of Monterey Bay.

37th Anniversary Celebration

To honor this milestone, WOLF School will host a 37th Anniversary Celebration March 20–22, 2026, at Camp Monte Toyon, where the program first began. The weekend will bring together alumni, educators, former staff, families, and community partners to celebrate the school's legacy and future.

A special highlight of the celebration will be the debut of Bertram J. Chatham's new book, Art of the Welcome: A Practical Guide to Helping Kids Feel Safe, Seen, and at Home at Camp. Chatham's work on the power of intentional welcoming has long inspired WOLF School's approach to building community and belonging.

In Chapter 1, Chatham writes:

"Every child who arrives at camp is carrying an entire universe inside them. Dreams and fears in equal measure."

The philosophy described in Art of the Welcome reflects a value that has been embedded in WOLF School since its early years - that the first moments of arrival can shape a child's entire experience of growth, confidence, and belonging.

A Legacy of Impact

Over 37 years, WOLF School has served hundreds of thousands of students — many of whom now send their own children to experience the same transformative week in the redwoods or along the coast. Teachers consistently report increases in student engagement, collaboration, and environmental literacy following participation.

As WOLF School looks toward the future, its mission remains as vital as ever: to nurture scientific curiosity, resilience, and stewardship in the next generation.

For more information about WOLF School programs or to donate to support building respect, appreciation, and stewardship within the web of life, visit www.wolfschool.org.

Media Contact: 
Name: Heather Butler
Title: Director WOLF School
Mobile: 831/431-0669
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE WOLF School