Next-Generation Youth Programs
The Next Generation
Each year, hundreds of East Jefferson County public school students of all ages visit our preserves.
Hands-on Programming
Our long-term commitment to caring for the lands we protect forever inherently means that this effort will extend far beyond the lifetime of any individual. This perpetual commitment is one of the most important reasons that we work with local public schools to provide hands-on programming intended to foster the next generation of people who will care for the land.
Land Trust Perserve Field Experiences
Each year, hundreds of East Jefferson County public school students of all ages visit our preserves. On their field trips, they experience salmon returning home, learn about birds and nurse logs, explore stream and forest health, and even plan and carry out restoration projects.
Activities & Internships
Some schools and classes undertake stewardship activities, by creating informational brochures, undertaking habitat restoration plantings, or pulling non-native invasive weeds that threaten to take over the forest. Older students even collect data that can inform the Land Trust’s monitoring and adaptive management, such as undertaking a stream or forest health assessment, or collecting information about the growth and ages of trees on a particular preserve. And 10th-12th grade students can learn even more by participating in our annual paid Spring Break Youth Corps internship program.
State Education Standards
Our youth education programs are provided at no cost for participating schools. They’re aligned to state education standards (NGSS, common core, etc.). The benefits of this are that the whole student educational need is met and our programs align with and support the work teachers are already doing in the classroom.
Teacher Support
For teachers, we strive to offer a connected learning continuum so that students who begin learning about our wildlife habitat in third grade have future connected learning opportunities (through us and partners) all the way through high school. Schools are supported with bus funding, trained field experience leaders, and classroom visits as needed.
Volunteers & Professionals
Our work in the schools is supported by many wonderful volunteers and a wide variety of natural resource professionals, who bring not only knowledge to share with students, but also share information about potential career paths.
The Opportunity to Participate
Over time, nearly every public school student in East Jefferson County will have the opportunity to participate in one (or many) of these school- and field-based programs.