Bonanza Education Center

08/31/2026

School is starting up for our area schools, and Bonanza is already in full swing with fall field trips! 🍁📚
We’re excited to welcome students back and can’t wait to share all the fall fun with you
Want to bring your class or group out for a visit?
Email us at [email protected] to schedule!

10/31/2025

That dusty duck in the crawl space deserves better🦆
Your fish called.... He wants out of the basement!

Okay, Okay! That was fun but, jokes aside...

Our wildlife mount collection has inspired generations of local youth to learn about the incredible wildlife that calls Big Stone Lake and the surrounding prairies and potholes home.
Thanks to generous donations from famed taxidermist Charles Hanson and many local outdoor enthusiasts, we’ve built quite the display — but a few of our walls are a little bare!

Bonanza would love to offer a new home to your long-forgotten trophy stories!

10/25/2025

🌞 What a day at Bonanza!
Chokio-Alberta students kicked off the day by building their own 'watersheds'
Diving into real-world lessons about water quality, erosion and flooding in their communities.

We got hands-on with a pH Potion Experiment!
Testing mystery liquids and watching how the molocules changed colors based on their pH levels 👩‍🔬

We hiked the tall-grass prairie, fished at the beach, peered into soil structure under microscopes—and even got a dramatic lesson in the power of the sun (yes: those are smoking leaves!) 😮

Teachers- we’re ready to tailor your future trip to meet your class’s specific interests (science, ecology, geology, whatever you’re exploring)!!!
Email to schedule your adventure: [email protected]

PS: Watch for future posts on weekend/ weeknight events that will be open to the public 🎉

10/03/2025

🌿 Big news at Bonanza! 🌿

We're thrilled to welcome Brent & Dorla Jacobson as our new Co-Directors of the Bonanza Education Center! 🎉

They bring decades of teaching experience, a deep love of nature, and a long history of involvement at Bonanza.
Brent—who first led Bonanza back in 1999—just wrapped up 25 years at Browns Valley School teaching middle school Math, Science, and Social Studies.
Dorla recently retired after 26 years at Big Stone City School, where she inspired countless 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. 🍎✨

The Jacobsons have always been part of the Bonanza story, serving on the board and supporting outdoor learning.
Now, they’re stepping into leadership together—ready to spark curiosity, adventure, and a love of the outdoors for every student who visits! 🌾🌎💡
Email them at [email protected] to get those fall field trips scheduled!!!

05/12/2025

05/11/2025

The amazing student art that was part of yesterday's exhibit.

05/10/2025

Head out to Bonanza today from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM! Refreshments and cookies are being served.

05/10/2025

Sneak Peek! I still have a lot of art to hang! Please come take a look tomorrow from noon to 4 at this amazing student art. I have work from throughout the area.

05/09/2025

Head to Bonanza for two great events on one Saturday afternoon.

05/08/2025

The art is in the building and ready to be hung up for the exhibit Saturday. Please head to Bonanza this Saturday to see what amazing prairie wildflower art local students have created.