When Gary Hamilton became principal of Monongahela Elementary Center (MEC) over 10 years ago, he wanted to establish a nature trail on the four acres of wooded area on the east side of the school. "Children today are into so many structured activities they are denied opportunities to learn about nature firsthand," he said. "I want kids to experience what I experienced as a kid--what child wants to be in a stuffy classroom all of the time?" The principal's simple wish sparked a fire that still burns brightly more than a decade since its inception. From humble beginnings, this school?s environmental education program evolved into a communitywide effort that reaches more than 1,000 students each year, helps teachers incorporate national and state science standards into the curriculum, and encourages future teachers to embrace science in their classrooms. This article presents the story of this program.