My dream is to give my least academically-oriented students something to look forward to--an amazing overnight adventure trip unlike anything they've ever experienced.
I teach in a unique school district in upstate New York that includes urban students living in housing projects, children growing up on farms 15 miles from town, and kids of university professors. This blend creates a challenge for educators--how can we reach out to such a diverse population, and make sure all children feel they belong? Our town has struggled with racial division between people living in rural and urban poverty. I'd love to help bridge that gap by bringing students from both sides on a trip together.
I teach tenth grade biology, non-honors level. Many of my students show little interest in academic coursework, or extracurricular activities like school dances or clubs. My goal is to provide an opportunity for a hands-on, experiential learning in nature. Many students who have limited contact with nature struggle to understand major concepts in our Biology course. Unless you’ve been in the woods, it can be hard to grasp the interconnectedness of species on Earth. I also hope to increase students’ overall engagement in school by involving kids who rarely participate in IHS extra-curricular activities, like sports teams and music ensembles.
I believe that outdoor education can be the key to building confidence in students, especially those with limited success in their academics. Last year I traveled to Assateague National Seashore with a student who had never left New York state. He had a phenomenal time seeing the ocean for the first time, finding a dead 200 lb sea turtle on the sand, canoeing further than he thought possible, and befriending fellow students on the trip. When we got back, he surprised himself and us by passing the Regents exam in Living Environment.
Your help will allow my students to get out of the classroom and into the beautiful state in which we live! We all know from personal experience how profound a trip to an amazing natural setting can be. Who cannot remember their first camping trip, or first time on cross-country skis? Your support will give the students in my lower level classes memories of school they can treasure. By inspiring a love of the outdoors, we may end up inspiring students to preserve the environment that surrounds us.
We hear so much about kids spending too much time indoors. Let’s give them a chance to do something different—to get excited about being outside, trying new things, and building confidence in their own abilities as young adults! Thanks in advance for your help changing the lives of these amazing young people!
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