The Environmental Center Endorses Outdoor School for All

The Environmental Center recently endorsed Outdoor School for All, an initiative of the Oregon Outdoor Education Coalition.

Through collaborative efforts, the Coalition aims to secure and expand statewide outdoor education through support of programs that help children develop an appreciation of nature and a sense of personal responsibility toward Oregon.

The campaign is focused around building public demand for new policies that support outdoor education programs and place-based, hands-on learning. The Coalition hopes to achieve several goals, which include securing significant, permanent funding to send every Oregon student to a full week of outdoor school (or a comparable learning experience).

The Environmental Center chose to endorse Outdoor School for All for two main reasons.

Kirin Stryker, sustainability educator with The Environmental Center and program council member for the Oregon Environmental Literacy Program (OELP) explains, “First, we deliver sustainability-focused education because we know that a sustainable future requires tomorrow’s leaders to understand the impact of their actions and to choose a better way of living. Second, outdoor learning experiences support the OELP’s mission of creating thoughtful connections with the natural world through education and engagement.”

We expect to see more children engaged in outdoor learning experiences in Central Oregon soon!