Recently, students at Mira Loma High School have received news that San Juan Unified School District is considering the idea of demolishing the school’s nature area to create space for the school’s incoming aviation program. While said aviation program will be beneficial to the school, Mira Loma's nature area is an essential part of our learning environment.

In our IB Environmental Systems and Societies class, this area has provided a safe and enjoyable space for students to learn about the environment and connect with nature. We have used it for a multitude of projects, and the curriculum in many of the science classes would not be the same without these unique opportunities. All of Mrs. Kelly’s students, as well as various other classes in the science department, utilize this outdoor classroom especially for projects submitted to the International Baccalaureate Program. Deconstructing the area would be detrimental to the hands-on activities students at Mira Loma undertake.

Mira Loma has an expansive campus with many unused spaces that can be employed instead of the nature area. I suggest that the aviation program be located closer to the textbook room, staff parking lot, and dumpster area.