Reservations for the 2025 Tour Season are now closed.
The Headwaters SWCD’s Underground Classroom is a handicap accessible 22-foot cargo trailer that serves as a mobile learning unit bringing soils and conservation education to our local schools and community throughout Augusta County, Staunton, Waynesboro and surrounding areas.
Visits outside of the Headwaters district can be scheduled for a fee.
The Underground Classroom will be used to educate youth and adults about soil health and conservation. This experience will serve as a hands-on, learning tool for a variety of lessons available to schools, field days, fairs, festivals, and beyond. The Underground Classroom allows visitors to walk through a three-dimensional virtual experience of the underground world beneath them. Through activities and investigations that correlate to the Virginia Standards of Learning, students will learn the important role soil health provides to crops and water quality. The trailer is designed for a 3rd grade learning level, but older or younger students can be scheduled. However, it’s not recommended for any students younger than 1st grade.
The goal of the Underground Classroom is for youth and adults to come away with the knowledge that soil is more than just dirt; soil conservation is vital for the health of our ecosystems and watersheds. Additional hands-on soil lessons can be included with the trailer visit, if enough time is scheduled.
Scheduling Information
Underground Classroom visits are available March through October. Scheduling opens January 1st for the upcoming season.
Interested in having the Underground Classroom visit your school, or come to your local fair or festival? Want more information? Please contact Loren Ramos below to discuss visit options, and to schedule dates/times.
Loren Ramos, Education & Outreach Coordinator
Email: lramos@co.augusta.va.us
Note: Public and Private schools, as well as homeschool groups within the Headwaters SWCD District are exempt from all rental and service fees.
Out of District Fees Explanation
For visits outside of the Headwaters SWCD service area (Augusta County, City of Staunton, City of Waynesboro), we charge a base fee of $300 per day plus mileage from our office in Verona to the location of the visit and back ($0.75/mile).