Students eagerly looked out into the pond searching for the Red Ear Slider turtle that their tour guide, Justin, told them to look out for.

On this hot humid day, the students were allowed to wander around Houston’s Arboretum Nature Center on different trails, bridges and around ponds to discover more about nature in the city.

Justin, the tour guide, explained how setting certain areas of land on controlled fire would help benefit plant growth in the future. He talked a lot about trees, berries, leaves, animals, insects, and much more at every stop along the trail. He was very knowledgeable and had a lot of information to say about almost anything.

“I have been working at the Arboretum since 2005. I started when I was 17 as a paid intern,” he said.

Freshman Harper Brown said she enjoyed the tour.

“The Arboretum was really interesting to me because we talked a lot about nature and I want to do something in the field of biology and nature when I’m older. It was really interesting to hear about the fire thing too,” Brown said.

In the “Undiscovered Houston” Interim Term class, students traveled to historic and popular places around the city that people may have never seen before. 

“I wanted to take this class because of the fact that we get to travel around Houston,” freshman Evan Paris said. 

Not only that, but they also had a chance to go to restaurants for lunch, including Feges BBQ.

“I’m going to order the barbeque sandwich with pulled pork with a side of fries and a buttermilk biscuit,” Brown said, excitedly while waiting for her meal at Feges.

Every day the students took a bus to places such as the Museum of Fine Arts, NASA, Minute Maid Park, and more. 

“I would have to say going to NASA or the bus rides were my favorite part of this class,” freshman Laine Wise said.

But Paris didn’t feel the same way.

“The amount of time on the bus rides is the worst part about this class because of how long they are,” Paris said.

Other parts of the class, though, left her feeling inspired.

“When we were at Minute Maid, we saw the press walks, and that was really interesting because that is what I want to do. I want to be a sports broadcasting journalist. It was really influential,” she said.