Beyond our WASH program in Honduras, Cova circuit riders extend school outreach into a second vital branch, environmental education. Here, lessons on biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and resilient water sources help students see themselves not only as learners, but as guardians of the world around them.

At Anjel Hernandez School in the El Zapote community, the colorful Earth Day art from celebrations the week before still brightens the walls. Students buzz with anticipation, and hello’s ring out as the bravest of the bunch practice their English greetings as they approach us, their foreign visitors accompanied by Cova circuit riders.

The shade of a giant schoolyard tree provides the perfect setting for a learning station focused on environmental protection—with a dash of make-believe. A ‘forest boundary’ is marked out on the grass within which the students (playing as their favorite animal) are asked to crowd. Suddenly, deforestation strikes. The animals must migrate to a new area—but the new boundary is only half the size of the first. There is no longer room for everyone. The question is asked: how can we each do our part to protect the planet?

In another corner of the courtyard, level ground and simple supplies—pvc pipes, plastic fittings, and even the students’ own humming voices (the creativity of the circuit riders knows no bounds!)—become teaching tools. Here, students discover the strength that comes from working together. A PVC tower, like the environment, can only stand strong when each piece supports the other. But when weakened—through pollution, deforestation, or neglect—it can all come crashing down.

Between repeat-after-me games, game-show style flashcards, and kids chasing after errant bouncy balls, one might wonder if the lessons would stick. Yet when students circled up at the end of the day to recap their learning, their reflections left no doubt.

Arms shoot up as eager students share their insights: If we take care of nature, nature will take care of us.

These moments—playful yet profound—remind us why education is at the heart of protecting both people and the planet. With every activity, students not only learned about environmental stewardship, they imagined themselves as caretakers of their own future. And that future looks brighter with each hand raised, each idea shared, and each young voice calling for change.