Okihi Adventure: Fossils, Gold & the Kern River- Heartland Charter School

Registration window October 21, 10:00 a.m. -October 27, 7:00 p.m.

Okihi Field Trip: Exploring the Kern River Through Science & History! Students in grades 3–8 will spend the day learning through three hands-on experiences that connect science, history, and our local environment.

🦴 Fossil Field Station

Students will become paleontologists as they dig for real local fossils, examine their discoveries, and use the fossil lab to identify what they have found. Along the way, students will explore how fossils provide evidence about organisms and environments from the past. Students will even be able to take home their favorite fossil finds!

🥇 Gold Panning & Kern River History

Students will step into California history as they learn about the Gold Rush and the history of the Kern River. They will learn and practice traditional gold-panning techniques, giving them a hands-on connection to the people, resources, and events that helped shape our region and state.

🌊 Watershed Explorers

Using the Kern River as their classroom, students will investigate how water shapes the land, supports plants and wildlife, and connects communities. Students will explore the local watershed and develop a better understanding of the important role the Kern River plays in our area's ecosystem.

Rather than simply reading about these topics, students will have the opportunity to dig, investigate, identify, pan, observe, and explore in the environment they are studying. This field trip is designed to give students a memorable, hands-on way to connect classroom learning in earth science, ecology, California history, and local geography to the world around them.

This is an outdoor field trip along the Kern River, so students should wear closed-toed shoes or boots, dress in layers, bring sunscreen and a hat, and bring a refillable water bottle. High socks or pants are recommended. Students will be divided into three groups and rotate through three instructor-led learning stations.

Ticket cost:

• Children ages 0-3 are FREE and will not participate (This venue is NOT stroller-friendly.)
• Students ages 4+ $75.00
• Chaperones FREE

*The price for tickets paid with a credit card will be slightly higher due to the Ticketbud processing fee.

May I pay using my student's planning amount? Yes! You can pay for your student's ticket with your student's planning amount.

What are the check-in procedures? Families should arrive by 10:00 AM to check in with the Heartland teacher leading the field trip. The Okihi program begins at 10:30 AM. Families will receive final meeting/check-in instructions and information for identifying the Heartland teacher prior to the field trip.

Who may attend? This field trip is aimed at students in 3rd-8th grade; however, all ages are welcome. Every attendee needs a ticket. This includes infants. Only one chaperone per family.

Is there on-site parking available? When you come down the driveway, an attendant will guide you to your parking spot.

Can we pack snacks or lunch for this event or field trip? Yes. Students should bring a refillable water bottle and a snack.

How do I contact the event organizer?

Name: Trevor Kirby

Phone number: 661-565-6963

Email address: [email protected]

You must have a student enrolled at Heartland Charter School to attend this event. We verify enrollment for all attendees.

How to Reserve Your Spot

To officially join us on this field trip, you must complete both steps of our registration process. Please follow these directions carefully:

Step 1: Check out on Ticketbud

Complete the checkout process here on Ticketbud. This initiates your reservation. *If you want to pay with your student funds, please reserve tickets labeled "Paid with student funds through Procurify".

• Confirmation: You will receive an email confirmation from Ticketbud once your order is complete.
• Tip: If you do not see the email within a few minutes, please check your Spam/Junk folder. If you cannot find a confirmation email from Ticketbud, you did not successfully reserve tickets.
• Action: Once you have your confirmation, move immediately to Step 2.

Step 2: Place your Order in Procurify

Your spot is not confirmed until an order is placed in the Procurify system for students who are enrolled in Heartland and their primary chaperone. You do NOT need to place an order in Procurify for siblings who are not enrolled or for additional chaperones.

• Search: Log in to Procurify, search the name of this field trip in the catalog, and complete your order as you would for any other educational resource.
• Note: Do NOT place a Procurify order for siblings who are not enrolled in Heartland.
• Deadline: You must place your Procurify order within 3 days of your Ticketbud registration.
• IMPORTANT! Registration Requirement: To avoid losing your spot, both steps must be completed. Failure to place an order in Procurify within the three-day window will result in removal from the attendee list, and funds will be manually deducted from your account.

Heartland events are designed for families to attend together. Students need to be accompanied by an adult chaperone. If your student will be attending with another family, please email the field trip host to let them know once you complete your registration. Chaperones must be the legal parent or 25 years and older. All chaperones must be healthy, ethical people with the skills to be responsible adult chaperones.

Please review our Field Trip Refund & Attendance Policy!

To ensure we can provide these experiences to as many students as possible, please review our commitment and refund guidelines before registering.

All Sales are Final

• No Refunds: Once a ticket is reserved or purchased, we cannot offer a refund for any reason, including illness, scheduling conflicts, or a change of plans.
• Non-Transferable: Tickets are tied specifically to the student account used at registration. They cannot be sold, gifted, or transferred to another family.

The "No-Show" Policy

Because Heartland pre-pays many venues based on Ticketbud headcounts, an unused ticket is a direct loss of school resources.

• Fund Deduction: If a family reserves a spot and does not place an order in Procurify, the student's planning amount will still be manually deducted from their Procurify account, and the student will be removed from the attendee list.
• Loss of Access: Families who are frequent "no-shows" may lose access to future field trip registrations. We track attendance to ensure that limited spots go to families who are committed to attending.

Professional Courtesy: If an emergency arises, and you truly cannot make it:

• Notify the Lead Teacher: Please email the organizing teacher as soon as possible.
• Why it matters: This prevents the entire group from waiting at the venue entrance for your arrival, keeping the educational program on schedule for everyone else.

Our Goal: By only registering for events you are fully committed to, you help us keep our field trip program sustainable and open to all students.