Winter Break Activities for Kids and Families

December 19, 2022

Photo credit: US Fish & Wildlife Central Oregon is a winter wonderland, full of things to do to keep you and your family outdoors no matter the elements! While hanging by the fire pit is an obvious great choice, our Youth Education team put together a few more ideas to enjoy this season. We hope […]

“Green Drinks” Celebrates Latinx Heritage Month With Upcycled Piñatas!

October 10, 2022

2022 has been exciting, as we have been able to get back to gathering in-person for our various events: Earth Day, the Green Tour, Power Hour, and one of our favorites — the Green Drinks series! Green Drinks is an international concept that brings people together to learn about sustainability efforts. Here in Central Oregon, […]

Welcome, Wesley!

September 12, 2022

Our Youth Education team has a new Coordinator Over the summer, we brought Wesley Yoder (he/him) on as our Youth Education Program Coordinator, and he jumped right in helping to deliver fun-filled summer camps. Wesley has an extensive background in environmental education, and brings knowledge and skills from his degree in biology with a focus […]

From Bend, Oregon to Katmai, Alaska

July 6, 2022

The Future of Youth Education at TEC Youth Education has been a key pillar of The Environmental Center for over 30 years. In the years to come, we aim to continuously strengthen and diversify our offerings for Central Oregon youth to fit their needs. After all, we understand that youth are the future stewards of […]

Introducing the Green Leadership Coalition

December 28, 2021

Recently, Bend High and Mountain View’s environmental clubs got together at The Environmental Center’s Learning Garden. They covered the garden beds, cut back plants, and kept some growth available for pollinators throughout the winter and spring seasons. This great event connected students and gave them an opportunity to plan some group projects and really develop their […]

A Look Back on the 2021 Summer Youth Education Programs

September 13, 2021

As we packed away the hula hoops, animal skulls, water colors, and scoured the forest at Skyliner Lodge for lost water bottles, single shoes, and the occasional lost towel, the TEC youth education team breathed a big sigh of relief—another successful summer of outdoor based programs (and arguably our best one yet) was officially over. […]

Thoughts From Our Naturalists in Training

September 1, 2021

At The Environmental Center, our Youth Education Team offers a variety of summer programs to enrich the minds of children, and teach them about sustainable living with hands-on activities in the classroom, the outdoors, the gardens, and beyond. We believe it’s important to foster future leaders in sustainability. That’s why the team also provides mentorship […]

These Eco-Heroes Had a Blast Exploring Bend via Bike

August 17, 2021

Superhuman strength and magical powers only exist in comics and movies, but real-life heroes biked among us during the July Eco-Hero Adventures summer camp. After a thorough safety lesson from Commute Options, the campers were ready to go! Here’s Where the Eco-Heros Docked Throughout the Week! Navigating through Bend, fueling their transport with the energy […]

Climate Commuters on the Move

June 3, 2021

This post was written by guest blogger Whitney Bennett, Safe Routes to School Coordinator at Commute Options. The Eco Hero Climate Commuters after school program takes our eco heroes on an educational journey to understand emissions from vehicles and how we can make daily travel choices that have a positive impact on our climate — […]

Leafy Greens in the Garden

May 27, 2021

One of the best parts of growing food in your garden is being able to step outside for a quick snack. Whether it’s picking some berries off the bush, grabbing a pea off the vine, or picking some fresh lettuce leaves for a salad. In our Learning Garden here at The Environmental Center, we have […]

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Category: Youth Education