New Pioneers was delighted to continue our partnership with the Rose Dodson STEM Program in December of 2025 for a day of fire science! This unique program offers science, technology, engineering, and math enrichment opportunities to third and fourth-grade students of color from Bardstown Elementary School once a month.

During this program, students visited three rotations led by New Pioneers, the Bardstown Fire Department, and Our Commonwealth. With New Pioneers, these students engaged in discussions and an interactive game about controlled burns!

A controlled burn involves setting planned fires to maintain the health of a forest by removing fuel for wildfires, managing invasive species, returning nutrients to the soil, and more. These fires are carefully planned and managed by a team of experts.

To learn about these controlled burns, students first collaborated on a t-chart, brainstorming how fire can be both helpful and harmful in certain situations. Then, we introduced the definition of a controlled burn and its many benefits. Next, we played a game to mimic how a "Burn Boss" might plan and execute a controlled burn safely.

This lesson allowed students to understand that while accidental wildfires can be very harmful and should be prevented, fire can also be used safely by experts to improve our ecosystems!

New Pioneers is so grateful to be a part of this wonderful opportunity for local students to connect with nature and apply their STEM skills to various lessons. We thank the Rose Dodson STEM program for this great partnership, which will continue through March of 2026!

To view more photos from this program, click here or on the collage above.