Collins Lake Autism Center

Learning and Growing in the Outdoors

Collins Lake Autism Center is a nonprofit organization based in Mora County with a mission to provide supported living, therapeutic services, and educational programs in a nature-based environment. While its primary focus is serving autistic individuals, the organization has discovered that Collins Lake Ranch can also provide a unique setting for meeting a wide range of community needs.

The organization’s work in education began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Collins Lake Ranch opened its campground to local students who needed support with remote learning. Since then, Collins Lake Autism Center has collaborated with New Mexico Highlands University and other nonprofit partners to expand environmental education opportunities for students in the Mora area.

Through the New Mexico Public Education Department’s Summer Reading Program, the Ranch hosted local students for a program that combined outdoor learning with intensive reading intervention. By bringing academics into a hands-on, nature-based environment, the program helped students make meaningful gains in reading.

Bringing Enrichment into the Outdoors

Building on that work, Collins Lake Autism Center launched Enrichment Fridays, an initiative that brings extracurricular and experiential learning opportunities to students from area schools.

Students from Rio Gallinas Charter School and Mora Independent School District visited the Ranch to participate in a range of Sensory, Outdoor, Music, and Arts (S.O.M.A.) activities. Educators from the New Mexico School for the Arts, Cooking with Kids, the Indigenous Education Network, Queen Bee Music Association, and New Mexico Highlands University engaged students in hands-on experiences spanning the arts, music, nature, and sensory learning.

“Getting our students out of the classroom and into the amazing environment at Collins Lake Ranch has so many benefits,” shared outdoor education specialist Kevin Murphy. “The depth and quality of the instruction is exceptional.”

Creating New Ways to Learn

The outdoor setting can be particularly meaningful for students who have difficulty thriving in a traditional classroom.

“Many of these learners struggle in a traditional classroom setting, but they often thrive in an outdoor setting,” said Kaya Long, Education Director at Collins Lake Ranch. “We are hoping that the design elements of the Friday S.O.M.A. program can be the basis for expanded education programs for area special education students.”

By combining nature, creativity, and hands-on learning, Collins Lake Autism Center is creating opportunities for students to learn in ways that recognize their individual strengths and needs. Through partnerships with schools, educators, and community organizations, the Ranch continues to explore how its unique environment can support young people throughout Mora County and surrounding communities.

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