Hurley K-12 students partner to create non-motorized trail

HURLEY - Students at the Hurley K-12 School are collaborating on a variety of subjects, from wood shop to art to science, to help create a community-based environment.

Amy Nosal, AmeriCorps Vista employee with the Iron County University of Wisconsin-Extension office, has been working with students to create a non-motorized trail, extending from Michigan into Iron County.

The trail will connect from Belle Isle, near Detroit, into Ironwood, and local community members have been working to see the trail extend even farther.

A site has been selected for the trail to continue into Hurley, and Nosal took students to visit the site Thursday. The site is near First Avenue and the all-terrain vehicle trail in Hurley, running alongside the Montreal River and the Michigan border.

"This is a very informal field trip, just to get them introduced to the space," Nosal said.

Students in Diane O'Krongly's earth science class, Roger Peterson's wood shop classes and Terry Davis' art classes visited the site, to "get inspired," according Nosal, specifically regarding a trailhead and mural for the site.

The goal of the collaboration is to "share ideas," between the students, despite the fact they are studying different things.

"We're taking what the science kids are learning, and we are bringing it to the art students to inspire them," Nosal said.

Wood shop students will create park equipment, and Nosal said the goal is to have the equipment and mural in place by the end of this year.

"This project will evolve as we go, but that is the plan right now," she said.

While at the site, students were asked about what they would like to see done with the space, as well as what other things should take place, including whether the trail should be strictly non-motorized, if the area should have cars going through it or how local government can get involved.

"This is kind of a rare thing for the students to have this much involvement in a project," Nosal said. "It's a win-win, because the students are going to get a lot out of it, and the community is going to have a nice green space."

Overall success of the project depends of the community involvement, outside the school, according to Nosal.

"We need that push to make this happen," Nosal said. "It's not so much a community service project, but a celebration of what these students and the community is capable of."

For more information, call the Iron County UW-Extension office at 715-561-2695.