Raven Hill's maven dishes on unique East Jordan learning center
EAST JORDAN — The busy director and co-founder of one of Northern Michigan’s must-see locations, the Raven Hill Discovery Center, was able to pause on her way to purchase mice for snakes and answer some questions.
As a former science teacher, Cheri Leach created the one-of-a-kind establishment — a combination art, history, science and children’s museum — with her husband in 1991. In a rural setting with pond, swamp, forests and fields on 157 acres in Charlevoix County in Northern Lower Michigan, they now welcome over 10,000 people of all ages through their doors every year.
Leach’s oldest son was 10 when she opened Raven Hill, hoping to expand the purview of the area’s education system. Now schools from across Northern Michigan and families from across the country make regular field trips to the center.
Q: How do you describe Raven Hill when you talk to people?
A: Our mission is to connect science, history and art. So, we provide opportunities for hands-on and life-long learning for all ages.
Q: What’s the most popular part of the center?
A: Indoors, the animals are probably the most popular. Outdoors, the kids want to head to the ancient world to climb the pyramid or go into the tree house.
Q: What kind of animals do you have at Raven Hill? Who is the most popular?
A: Checkers the corn snake is by far the most popular. We also have a python whose name is Leroy, and Ralph, a black rat snake.
Q: Since starting in 1991, what are the activities at the center that have withstood the test of time?
A: The very first thing that came in was the magnet table. I asked Industrial Magnetics in Boyne City if they could make an exhibit for Raven Hill. I said, ‘I want something that will entertain a lot of people and never break.' It is now a one-of-a-kind — there is no other magnet table like it in the whole world. I did have a guy call about it once. He thought he could make his own, he lived out in Arizona.
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Q: Why did you start Raven Hill?
A: I started seeing the value of informal learning opportunities. The importance of learning opportunities for schools and families.
Q: Do you find it rewarding running Raven Hill?
A: I do. I wouldn’t still be doing it if I didn’t find it rewarding. Interacting with the visitors is the most rewarding part, the school groups and the families. I would give up the paper work and marketing in a second, but I love the programs and the exhibits.
Q: What kind of people visit Raven Hill?
A: We have half children and half adults that visit the center, and they travel from all over. We service a 12-county district in Northern Michigan but people come from as far away as Alaska. Last year we had 225 Gaylord fifth graders. That was a lot of kids, but we were happy to have them. Unfortunately, the last three kids that got to hold Checkers had him go to the bathroom all over them. I tried to tell them what a unique experience that was, but they didn't quite see it that way.
The Raven Hill Discovery Center is open during the winter from 12-4 p.m. on Saturdays and 2-4 p.m. on Sundays or by appointment. Located at 4737 Fuller Road in East Jordan, their telephone is (231) 536-3369.
— Contact reporter Annie Doyle at (231) 675-0099 or adoyle@charlevoixcourier
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Raven Hill's maven dishes on unique East Jordan learning center
