Herbert Hart

Hart has proposed a "Special Education Outdoor Learning Project" for students with moderate to severe handicap conditions at Neuwoehner School, a phase-three building in the Special School District of St. Louis County. This outdoor classroom will allow students, many of whom are in wheelchairs, to interact with and learn from nature in outdoor "learning stations" that focus on such topics as soil conservation, geology, weather and entomology. Although numerous traditional schools in the region have outdoor classrooms, Hart's program outlines a first-of-its-kind environment designed especially for special needs students. Students will contribute to the design process and assist with construction through hands-on activities like mathematics, computer assisted design (CAD), and principles of physics. Together, they will create various elements of the classroom including retaining walls and a wheelchair accessibility pathway. Teachers and administrators from the five nearby Special School District Schools will be invited to use the classroom. Hart is a special education industrial arts teacher, and resides in St. Louis.