Whitman Middle School partnered with Fort Belvoir Elementary School to develop Project OWL (Outdoor While Learning). This project has been funded by a grant from the United States Department of Defense Education Activity and is designed to focus on wellness and mindfulness by creating opportunities for students to be outside and interacting with nature while learning. Spearheaded by our fantastic Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Katie Richter, and our amazing 7^th grade team of science teachers, our science classes recently had the opportunity to help design, plant, and care for 2,200 plants in two new pollinator gardens in two of our courtyards – the largest undertaking the county has taken on yet! These gardens will become homes and rest stops to many vital species of pollinators in the spring, help filter runoff water in the Chesapeake watershed, and provide beautiful outdoor learning spaces for all students in the years to come. Stay tuned for more Project OWL updates!