Singing Creek Educational Center: Oregon Living History
Our Mission
To inspire children and families toward an appreciation of local history through hands-on learning.
We are a 501 c(3) nonprofit organization, and we depend on your donations.
What We Do
Singing Creek Educational Center provides culturally-responsive living history education for kids and families in all of Western Oregon. We are mobile and travel to school, parks, libraries and other places where we engage children and adults in exploring history in meaningful ways.
Acorn Circle Program: Native Culture in Communities
We partner with local Native culture-bearers to bring Kalapuya Indigenous lifeways and traditional knowledge to communities. The Acorn Circle Program brings children’s tribal curriculum into 5 local libraries each Fall with a series of free afterschool sessions.
Want this program to come to your school or community center? Email our director.
SCEC is located on Kalapuya Ilihi, the traditional lands of the Winefelly and Yoncalla bands of the Kalapuya people, who have been here since time immemorial. We recognize and honor their ties to this homeland and support efforts to return the land to indigenous sovereignty. One of the ways we do this is by working with tribal partners to bring cultural education to communities, and by offering free or low cost tuition to our summer camps for Tribal members.
Our Educational Programs for Children
Our programs are fun and engaging while also encouraging critical thinking skills and learning about history from multiple perspectives. Our focus is Oregon history and nature appreciation.
Our interactive history programs for children and families include school field trips, classes, summer camps, and several special events throughout the year. We also offer monthly homeschool classes for your group from September through May. Some of our favorite activities include butter churning, grain grinding, sewing, making puppets, games and songs, washing clothes, gardening, herbal walks and trading with the trapper. Summer camps include visits from specialists like the medicine woman, the spinner, the trapper and more. Learn about ways of living in harmony with the Earth, foraging, respect, giving thanks, and protecting the environment. Our goal is to be culturally responsive in all our teachings, including about Native and colonial settler relationships, both positive and negative.
We are moving to a new location in 2024. Please stay tuned for more information. For now, we can come to your location for programs and classes, and we partner with local organizations such as museums for many of our events.
Read our Annual Report for 2024
Learn about how our programs, events, staff and board are growing and serving children and families throughout Western Oregon!
Kalpuya Ways program now booking in classrooms and community centers!
“I reviewed your [Kalapuya Ways] video and everything looks/sounds great. I truly do not have any feedback to give other than I love the fact that you start off talking about Native people in the present-tense then switch to past-tense (it is often done the other way around) and I love the respectful terminology you used when introducing and explaining the hands-on items. Great work!
– Cheyanne Heidt, Curriculum Specialist, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
Reflections on our Ten Year Anniversary
SCEC is celebrating our 10th year of being a nonprofit in 2025. Karen reflects on the history of the organization, her personal connection to this work, and what’s important to convey about our shared history.
We are Hiring Qualified Instructors
Join our team! Do you love kids and have a passion for history/nature studies? Have skills to share? Talk to us about becoming an instructor. This is an independent contractor position and hours are flexible year-round. See More Here
SCEC is a equal opportunity employer. To see our non-discrimination statement click here.
Upcoming Events with Partners
Join us for a first-person interpretation talk at Luper Cemetery on Memorial Day. Karen Rainsong will be speaking as Mrs. Annabelle Smith, newly arrived from the Oregon Trail, and will tell of her adventures. She will provide letters from children on the Oregon Trail circa 1855. Bring the whole family to this free event! Learn More.
Field Trips for Your Classroom or Group
Classroom field trips are now available for your students (and even homeschoolers or scout groups!) The Travel in Time field trip includes learning about the Kalapuya First Peoples of Oregon, the mountain man trappers, and the pioneer settlers with hands on experiences. The Lewis & Clark field trip features learning about the Corp of Discovery journey to the Pacific Ocean, including First Peoples and nature discovery.
See our Field Trips page for more info.
Your Donation Makes A Difference!
Please support our work — bringing history to life. Your financial contribution makes it possible for us to bring high-quality educational experiences to kids in under-served communities in Lane County. Click the Donate button above and show your support!
Watch Our YouTube Channel!
The videos on our channel show the many engaging, hands-on activities the children participate in during Singing Creek’s programs and workshops, where they learn about history and values like teamwork, respect for the land, honoring elders, and more.
