When Brenda Clark first attended Cuyamaca Outdoor School as a sixth grader in 1957, she could not have known that the experience would shape the course of her life in education and community service for decades to come.
This month, Clark will be honored at the Cuyamaca Outdoor School 80th Anniversary Celebration, recognizing the long legacy of the program and those who have helped sustain outdoor education in San Diego County. The milestone event brings together students, educators, and community members who have been part of the school’s eight decades of impact.
The celebration will take place on Wednesday, May 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Cuyamaca Outdoor School in Descanso. The event will feature guided camp activities, a luncheon and anniversary program, and a dedication ceremony highlighting the school’s history of outdoor learning and environmental education.
For Clark, the honor reflects a connection that began in childhood and continued throughout her professional life.
“I attended as a 6th grader in 1957. It was a memorable experience. We learned so much about nature and conservation,” she said.
That early experience helped shape her career as a middle school teacher in both the San Diego Unified School District and later Lakeside Middle School, where she incorporated outdoor learning into her teaching. She retired in 2008 but continued her involvement in education through volunteer work.
After retirement, Clark returned to Camp Cuyamaca as a volunteer, supporting the same program that first inspired her decades earlier.
“I wanted to continue my work with outdoor education, so I started volunteering at Camp Cuyamaca,” she said.
She also brought students there during her teaching years, reinforcing what she had experienced firsthand as a student.
“Bringing my 6th-grade classes to camp was always a big part of my life because I knew what a great experience it was, and it would be a memory for the students for a lifetime,” Clark said.
Outside of education, Clark has remained deeply engaged in the Alpine community since moving there in 1986. She describes the area as both familiar and meaningful long before it became her home.
“As a family, we always visited the local mountains and drove through Alpine,” she said. “We stopped many times at the Alpine Inn for a bite to eat.”
Over the years, she has contributed through a wide range of volunteer roles. At Alpine Community Church, she serves as a deacon, helps coordinate Sunday coffee hour, and supports Women’s Guild programs and community events such as the July 4th parade and church rummage sales.
She is also active with Friends of the Alpine Library and the Alpine Club, supporting programs including summer reading initiatives and other community activities.
“My volunteer activities have helped me stay connected to the Alpine community as well as other parts of East County,” Clark said.
The recognition at Cuyamaca Outdoor School highlights both her personal history with the program and its broader impact across generations of San Diego County students.
Looking ahead, Clark hopes Alpine maintains the rural character that first drew her to the area.
“I hope Alpine stays rural and doesn’t try to expand so that we lose our backcountry status,” she said. “I understand some growth is needed, but not too much, too fast.”
For Clark, the honor represents a full-circle connection between her early experience as a student, her years in the classroom, and her ongoing commitment to education, community, and the outdoors.
