PUSD students write poetry inspired by outdoor exploration

Portola JrSr High School ninth graders in Ms. Osburn's English class visit the Sierra Valley Preserve to gather inspiration for writing poetry.

PUSD students write poetry inspired by outdoor exploration

Writing the Land, a place-based poetry program happening at Portola and Quincy Junior Senior High Schools this year, connects students to literacy, science, history, and the natural landscapes of Plumas County. Through a partnership with the Feather River Land Trust, and the support of Plumas Unfied School District staff including Instructional Coach Erica Perdue and Outdoor Education Coordinator Rob Wade, students are exploring the region through observation, research, poetry, and reflective writing.

PUSD’s project is modeled after a national Writing the Land program, which sought poetry submissions from young writers connected to land trusts. Perdue, PUSD’s instructional coach, who had participated in that program when she was a teacher, suggested a reinvention with community partners at the local level, an idea enthusiastically embraced by two high school English teachers.

Portola JSHS English teacher Amanda Osburn brings a personal connection. Growing up in Satley, Sierra Valley inspired her own love of poetry as a student. “I just thought this would be a great way to share my love for this area and my love for poetry with my students,” Osburn said. Her students visited the Feather River Land Trust’s Sierra Valley Preserve and Nature Center during different seasons, absorbing the valley’s history, observing wildlife, and transforming their experiences into place-based poetry rich with sensory detail and imagery.

For Quincy JSHS English teacher Niecea Freeman, inspiration came from giving students an authentic voice through publication while helping them connect more deeply with their natural world. Freeman said the project allows students to see themselves “not just as learners completing assignments, but as real writers contributing to their community.” Her students explored places like Butterfly Valley and the Leonhardt Ranch Learning Landscape while working with local experts to identify native plants, fungi, trees, and birds as part of their writing and research. Learn more about FRLT’s Learning Landscape program on their website: Learning Landscapes web page.

Each participating student will select three of their poems – one for Fall, Winter, and Spring – to be published in an anthology, printed in partnership with FRLT. All students in the program will receive a copy of the anthology to keep, their work professionally published and shared in a collection celebrating the landscapes and communities of Plumas County.

Local poet and author Jill Makoutz visited Ms. Freeman’s students to discuss the writing and publishing process, helping students see creative writing as something tangible within their own community.

Teachers at both schools described students becoming more engaged and curious through outdoor learning experiences. By encouraging students to slow down, observe carefully, and reflect on the landscapes around them, the local Writing the Land project is helping students develop creativity, environmental stewardship, and pride in the rural communities they call home.

Published 4/15/26