Clark Middle School seventh-grade students will have the opportunity to take learning outside the classroom this September as they participate in the 2026 Wabash River Expedition, an educational rafting and conservation field trip organized by the Knox County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).
CMS students will participate over two days — Wednesday, September 16, and Thursday, September 17. The class will be divided into two groups, with approximately half of the students attending on September 16 and the other half attending on September 17.
To ensure your student can attend the rafting trip, please log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal (via app or website), select “Menu,” and click on “Forms.” The permission form is included among the required forms that need to be completed annually.
In addition to the PowerSchool permission slip, a separate waiver must be completed and signed by a parent or guardian before a student can participate. The completed waiver should be returned to Clark Middle School.
You can view and print the required waiver here.
The deadline to complete the required forms for this field trip is August 28.
About the Expedition
Students will begin their adventure at Ouabache Trails Park before embarking on a 3.5-mile rafting trip down the Wabash River to the George Rogers Clark Memorial. The rafting portion of the trip is expected to last approximately 1.5 to two hours.
Along the way, students will use GPS technology to participate in a scavenger hunt, searching for and identifying native flora and fauna found along the Wabash River. The activity combines technology with environmental education while giving students an opportunity to experience the river firsthand.
Safety will be an important part of the expedition. Before entering the water, Indiana DNR Conservation Officers and local first responders will provide students with information about water safety and the proper use of life jackets. Safety personnel will also patrol the river during the rafting portion of the trip.
Learning Continues on Land
After completing the rafting portion of the expedition, students will eat lunch before rotating through several hands-on educational stations led by area organizations and conservation professionals.
Activities are scheduled to include a tour and history lesson at the George Rogers Clark Memorial; a mobile soil health demonstration from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and SWCD; the Indiana Department of Natural Resources' interactive Woods on Wheels forestry exhibit; a wildlife rehabilitation presentation; Purdue Extension's EnviroScape watershed model; an Indiana DNR electrofishing boat demonstration focused on invasive species; and an interactive electrical safety demonstration from WIN Energy.
What Students Should Wear
Because students should expect to get wet and muddy during the expedition, they should wear clothing and closed-toed shoes that can get wet and dirty.
Students will be required to keep their life jackets on at all times while on the water. Because September mornings can be cool before temperatures warm later in the day, organizers recommend wearing a sweatshirt or jacket over the life jacket. This allows students to remove the extra layer later without removing their life jacket.
Parent Volunteers Needed
Parents can also play an important role in making the Wabash River Expedition possible. Two adults are needed in each raft to help monitor students during the trip.
Parents interested in volunteering should contact Clark Middle School to register as a volunteer for the event.
On the morning of the expedition, volunteers will meet at the George Rogers Clark Memorial parking lot before being shuttled to Ouabache Trails Park. Volunteers will receive instructions, gear up and join their assigned groups before students arrive.
A Full Day of Hands-On Learning
Students will leave CMS around 8:45 a.m. and go to Ouabache Trails Park. Following a safety presentation, rafts will launch at approximately 9:45 a.m. and are scheduled to arrive at the George Rogers Clark Memorial around 11:30 a.m. Lunch and educational stations will follow, with the day's activities concluding at approximately 2:00 p.m.