NatureBridge in the News: Outside Magazine
An excerpt from the article “The National Parks 100.” “A lot of kids don’t understand that national parks are places where you can go camping and fishing and travel where nobody ever drives a car. Programs like NatureBridge allow them to see that the parks are their world. We’ve been operating in Yosemite since 1971, and educate some 13,000 kids a year, K through 12 students who come for five days. This fall we’ll finish the first phase of construction of a $56 million National Environmental Science Center. It makes a massive statement about the Park Service’s dedication to education. Technology is a big part of it. In outdoor programs, it’s always important to figure out how to incorporate what the students are using in their daily lives. We want kids to embrace the natural world, and if the way they do that is through taking pictures with their iPhones, great. At the new center, kids can upload their pictures of a fox or bear onto a big digital screen that serves as a mural for their time here. We have these digital microscopes that project via Bluetooth onto tablets, so one kid is zooming in on a bug or mineral while six others are sitting around a screen. Of course, there are times when technology is not appropriate. Ultimately, we are an outdoor school designed to maximize a kid’s experience. On the last day, a student should think, I’m going to bring my children here someday, so how do I make sure it’s even better for them?” —Reed Schneider, Director of Education, NatureBridge Yosemite
To read the full article, pick up the May issue of Outside Magazine at your local newsstand.
The National Environmental Science Center at Yosemite #
In 2016, during the second century of the National Park Service, NatureBridge will bring more kids, in more places, to national parks. Our latest project, The National Environmental Science Center is an unprecedented project. It heralds a new era for science-based environmental education on a national scale by serving as a residential laboratory for modeling best practices and promoting innovation within the broader field of environmental education. This project is not a dream; it’s a declaration. It’s a resounding commitment to conservancy, an investment in hundreds of thousands of life-changing educational experiences and their cumulative impact on multiple generations of young people.
To become involved in this project, reach out to Kristina Rylands, Yosemite Director, at krylands@naturebridge.org or 209-379-9511 ext. 14.
Stories
In Memory of Ty Cobb: A Visionary Leader of Resilience and Impact
Ty Cobb, former CEO of Yosemite National Institutes (now NatureBridge), passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2024 in Reno at the age of 84. Known for his visionary leadership, resilience, and ability to inspire collaboration, Ty guided YNI through some of its most difficult moments while building a foundation for its future growth and success.
WildLink November 2024: Woodlake High School
This November, Woodlake High School students and chaperones arrived in Yosemite for their first year as a WildLink school, and we are so excited to have them on the team! That means that the brave students who signed up for this expedition had virtually no idea what to expect before signing up for the trip, because none of their peers had experienced it before them! The week, although quite frigid, was full of lovely views, learning about Wilderness, spending lots of time by the river, and enjoying the beauty of Yosemite Valley and Wilderness. Their educators Sarah and Amelia were excited to help this group feel a sense of belonging in this place. They were also lucky enough to be joined by Ranger Lissie on their first day in the Wilderness!
Fall Reflections from NatureBridge Yosemite
As an environmental science educator, I spend a lot of time teaching about nature, but this season I’ve been finding that as it turns out, nature has a lot to teach us, too. Sometimes I can let the trees, the meadow, and the lichen teach for me. They show us how to respect each other’s boundaries, how to celebrate differences, how to work together, and how to lean on each other’s strengths in order to exist in a new place. These lessons felt incredibly relevant to me heading into the first week of November, a notoriously busy time at NatureBridge Yosemite. I wanted to focus on messages of kindness and inclusivity with my students, I wanted them to feel a sense of belonging in this new space, and I also hoped that they would share those messages with others.