Pine Level Elementary earns CLAS honor for outdoor classroom project

Pine Level Elementary School’s Cultivate More outdoor classroom turned a Deatsville campus garden into a statewide model, earning a CLAS School of Distinction at an awards luncheon in Prattville. The Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools chose Pine Level from among 189 schools nominated statewide for the 2025 cycle.

The honor puts Autauga County on the map for more than a decorative schoolyard project. Cultivate More works as a living laboratory where students study science, math, literacy, ecology, food systems and responsibility through hands-on work tied directly to classroom lessons. At 2040 Highway 31 North, the school uses the outdoor space to let students observe plant growth, track weather, follow life cycles, practice safe food preparation and take part in tasting events that connect nutrition and wellness to instruction.

Principal Christen Harry said the recognition was a tremendous one for the school, and the program’s results help explain why it stood out. Pine Level Elementary’s website lists a 96/A+ on its 2024-2025 state report card and 100% academic growth. That kind of performance gives weight to the school’s approach, showing that experiential learning and strong academic results can move together instead of competing for attention.

CLAS created its Banner School and Schools of Distinction program in 2001 to identify and publicize exemplary student-centered programs that can serve as models across Alabama. This year, 32 schools were recognized across the state’s eight State School Board Districts, and Pine Level was one of four District 5 honorees, alongside George P. Austin Junior High School, Robert E. Lee Elementary School and Tuskegee Public School.

The recognition also fits a broader pattern at Pine Level. In February 2024, Sweet Grown Alabama brought its Turning Four on the Farm event to the school, drawing students, teachers, farmers and officials for a literacy-and-agriculture celebration built around Short the Squirrel’s fourth birthday. The campus is also identified as a Purple Star School, adding another layer to a school identity now built around service, hands-on learning and community connection. For Autauga County, the distinction is less about a trophy on the wall than a public sign that a local school is turning place-based learning into measurable achievement.