We're Back!
Students are back on our Yosemite, Olympic and Golden Gate campuses! Hiking boots are hitting the trails, canoes are gliding into the water and our staff and students are having a blast out in our national park classrooms. Read on for a few highlights from our campuses.
Olympic National Park #
In the quiet weeks before students arrive on campus, NatureBridge educators eagerly prepare for their arrival. It’s during these anticipatory times that we partake in long-standing traditions that usher us into a new season. In the video above, Olympic educators carry our beloved canoe from its storage space down into the water. The moment carries a sentiment that’s not easily put into words. Not long after this video was taken, students arrived on campus, diving head first into hands-on science, outdoor exploration, water sample collection and physical challenges.
“The canoes require communication, collaboration and effort in order to glide around the lake! To me, the canoes represent that we have a shared space that encourages mutual learning, thriving and cooperation.”Eloise Peabbles, NatureBridge Educator
Yosemite National Park #
At the end of each program week, educators and students gather together to reflect on their time spent in the park. During one of these reflections a student shared these inspirational words: "We're just tiny organisms in this giant place. Usually, humans feel like they rule the wilderness. But here, I was reminded that the wilderness rules us." Another student shared that their goal was to get out of their comfort zone, adding “ Every time you do something outside of your comfort zone, your comfort zone gets bigger.”
“Every time you do something outside of your comfort zone, your comfort zone gets bigger."NatureBridge Student, Yosemite
Golden Gate National Recreation Area #
In addition to the joy of kids returning to programs, educators and staff at our Golden Gate campus are also celebrating the completion of a mural that is many years in the making. It was started by the late Ingrid Apter, a NatureBridge educator who passed away in 2021. A professional muralist took over and saw the project to completion. On the day of the mural’s dedication and unveiling, students, educators and staff gathered around excitedly and looked up to see a red tail hawk above them circling the celebration. Anyone who knew Ingrid and her deep love of animals and the outdoors would find it hard not to take that as a good sign. Upon seeing the completed mural Golden Gate Campus Director Casen Splain shared "I'm not sure what I expected, but this blows it out of the water! It's really amazing!"
Prince William Forest #
We are looking forward to welcoming kids back to Prince William Forest in April 2022.
Stories
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.
An Incredible 10th Anniversary of Evening on the Lake
On October 25, the Amazon Meeting Center in downtown Seattle buzzed with celebratory energy as over 300 NatureBridge guests and supporters gathered for the 10th anniversary of "Evening on the Lake," our signature Pacific Northwest fundraising event for our Olympic campus.
"Science became fun" at NatureBridge for Alum Laura Lomeli Russert
Laura Lomeli Russert is a NatureBridge alum who grew up in Groveland, CA and now calls Washington, D.C. home. Laura’s journey with NatureBridge began when she attended the Golden Gate campus as a young student with her class from Tenaya Elementary. Laura credits NatureBridge with shaping not only her love for nature but also her passion for education and science. "Science became fun,” she recalls. “You weren’t learning from a textbook anymore, and it became so much more real." Her hands-on, scientific experiences at NatureBridge laid the foundation for her eventual pursuit of a Ph.D. in psychology. “I feel like I owe a lot to NatureBridge."