On a quintessential fall day, Enfield Elementary School gathered for its second annual schoolwide apple pressing event, a celebration of the school’s commitment to hands-on, place-based learning. Capping off months of caring for Enfield’s apple trees, students came together on the campus orchard to press fresh cider using a traditional wooden press.
Throughout the year, fifth graders care for the apple trees as part of an integrated science and sustainability curriculum. This work culminates each fall in a day of experiential learning led by Melissa, a local farmer who partners closely with Enfield educators to design meaningful lessons, bringing science to life.
“I spend the year with fifth graders, following the orchard cycles, from winter dormancy to spring bud break and the glory of bloom, and through the summer challenge of managing pests and diseases to ensure a harvest,” Melissa stated. “Pressing sweet cider together connects the entire school community to our trees and shows the many ways to use apples of all sizes, shapes, and imperfections. The evolution of this program has made me a better farmer, and it is a joy to work alongside these kids and staff.”
Set on Enfield’s 12-acre rural campus, students rotated through learning stations that invited them to observe, explore, and reflect on how the environment can sustain and inspire us. Students in pre-K through second grade alternated between operating the cider press and studying apple anatomy up close, using magnifying lenses and recording their findings in nature journals. Students in third through fifth grade experienced the same stations with an added reflective writing component, capturing what they noticed, smelled, and tasted through words and drawings.
“This event really captures what Enfield is all about,” Enfield principal Stephen Anderson said. “We explore the natural world through hands-on, relevant, place-based learning experiences that spark curiosity and connection. Our partnership with Farmer Melissa is such a vital part of that work. She helps us bring science, sustainability, and a sense of wonder to life for our students.”
This year, with support from librarian Mariah Prentiss, sixth graders from Boynton Middle School returned to help run the event they launched last year, strengthening the connections across the Ithaca City School District. “It always surprises students to learn that they don’t need to cut off blemishes or separate the seeds and stems from the apples they prepare for the grinder,” Prentiss shared. “Every bit of the apple is pressed to make the delicious cider they enjoyed. And what remains after pressing is put to good use. Farmer Melissa delivered the pomace to some very happy pigs at a farm in Enfield.”
The annual cider pressing is one example of Enfield Elementary’s commitment to place-based education and collaborative teaching. Through these experiences, students engage in dynamic, individualized learning that connects them deeply to their environment and to one another.