Stories from the Field

Elaine Schear has been driven by her desire to ensure young women have equal access and opportunity to experience the outdoors. Read about how Elaine learned about NatureBridge, the impact NatureBridge had on her family and why she continues to support us!

It had been over three years since we were able to gather for our annual fundraising event Evening on the Lake. After a heartbreaking last-minute cancellation in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 lockdown, we were determined to bring Evening on the Lake back stronger than ever—and we did!

NatureBridge was featured in an Op-Ed that was picked up by The Hill about the importance and impact of exposure to nature on mental health for young people. In the article, NatureBridge CEO Phil Kilbridge and associate professor in the Doerr School of Sustainability and a senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University Nicole Ardoin lay out the case for using outdoor education as a solution to things such as increased screen use, creating a relationship and sense of meaning with nature, effective social and emotional learning, and so much more.