Saddleback students join Buddy Bison for ‘outdoor’ learning

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino is teaming up with the National Park Trust to sponsor Saddleback Elementary School’s participation in the Buddy Bison School Program.  

The program, now celebrating its 15th year, allows more than 20,000 students nationwide to connect with national parks. 

The partnership provides students with an immersive and educational experience in an “outdoor” classroom setting, focusing on the environment, ecosystems, conservation and outdoor exploration. 

Recently, 140 students from Saddleback Elementary School attended a class at the Chandler Nature Center, where they explored characteristics of the Sonoran Desert.  

The students took part in nature walks, scavenger hunts, desert adaptation games and designed their own desert animal. 

Tanya Nielsen, a third-grade teacher at Saddleback Elementary School, expressed her students’ enthusiasm for the experience. 

“Our students really enjoyed learning more about the Sonoran Desert and participating in such fun activities,” she said. “It is one thing to talk about it in the classroom, but getting to experience it firsthand really enhances the students’ learning experience.” 

Harrah’s HERO members also prepared adventure packs for each student, including binoculars, notebooks, pencils, and a miniature plush of Buddy Bison, the beloved woolly mascot of the National Park Trust. 

“Our Casino HERO Committee had fun interacting with the students from Saddleback Elementary School,” committee chair Barbara Achten said. “The smiles on their faces were a mile wide!”