Need a FREE Leave No Trace Activity for Kids?

As Traveling Trainers, we understand the importance of consistently having kids actively engaged in our workshops. By having kids saying, hearing, seeing, and doing, the retention rate of the information will be much higher.

Since 2001, Leave No Trace has been in a partnership with REI to present our youth program called PEAK, Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids, which currently reaches 120,000 youth annually. The program is presented as a “pack” of six activities. Additional activities, a Teen program and materials in Spanish are also available on our on-line store. The PEAK program can be purchased from the Center or is available through the “Packing with PEAK” grant. You could also contact your local State Advocate or REI store to inquire about borrowing a PEAK Pack. Why not try out one of the sample activities available free of cost, which is available on our website. Click here for more information.

As the weather gets warmer, challenge your children or students to a round of Okay or No Way! This activity represents a win-win situation for parents and elementary school teachers. First, the game acts as a catalyst to introducing youth to the seven principles of Leave No Trace. Second, this activity will get your students running around outside to expel some of their end of the school year energy!

Explore Responsibly...Kate and Tracy

Around the World

Many people know about Leave No Trace from seeing signage or information at a park/natural area in their region. We come in contact with a number of people that are surprised to find out we are a nonprofit organization with not just a national reach, but an international one.

Check out these beautiful photos from Kakani Scout Camp in Nepal:

This Leave No Trace training was organized with the help of Initiative Outdoor. As, owner Chandra Ale describes:

Initiative Outdoor (I.O.) is an outdoor leadership school based in Kathmandu, Nepal. I.O. runs a variety of courses, including adventure camps for kids, wilderness first aid, whitewater rescue technician training, and leadership programs at local schools. The range of the course offerings results in a diverse clientele: I.O. students are river guides, kayakers, mountain guides, Nepali school children, international students, and employees of both local businesses and INGOs.

I.O. was able to incorporate Leave No Trace education into all of their training this year, including this camp near Shivapuri National Park. The Center is grateful for the work of all of our volunteers, partners, members and supporters in helping communicate the importance and universality of these principles in every corner of the world.

New for Bigfoot Challengers: PEAK and Teen Activity Contest this month puts educator creativity to the test.

This month, Bigfoot is putting Leave No Trace educators and community members to the test, to submit their ideas for new teaching activities to each of these programs. To take part in the PEAK and Teen activity contest, please complete this form: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/286168/peak-and-teen-activity-submission-contest

The PEAK (Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids) and Teen programs are aimed at teaching responsible recreation and environmental stewardship to youth through hands-on activities. Both the PEAK and Teen “packs” provide materials and resources for educators teaching youth about Leave No Trace.

One PEAK and one Teen activity will be chosen as the contest winners. Winners will be announced to the community and will be awarded outdoor gear from a Leave No Trace partner. The winning submissions will be hosted on the Leave No Trace website as free downloadable activities for educators and youth leaders.

On behalf of the Center and Bigfoot, thank you for your participation!

Enhancing the lives of Urban Teens - Click here!

Supporting community programs continues to get easier with technology. The Pepsi Refresh Project gives away millions in grants each month to great "ideas" or community projects that support different sectors: arts and culture, health, education, food and shelter, neighborhoods and, of course, the environment.

With the click of a button, daily, you can support these great ideas. The top 10 receive a grant through the Pepsi Refresh Project each month. New applications are also accepted monthly.

One of Leave No Trace's community partners, Big City Mountaineers, is currently in the running. Big City Mountaineer's mission is "enhancing the lives of urban teens through wilderness adventures." BCM is a Connect Grant recipient and has done great work in combining Leave No Trace education with wilderness outings. They are in the running for $25K and voting for this round ends on February 28th.

In a year where it's a bit harder to give monetarily, take a minute to

support this community program, or one closer to home, by voting.

Have a great day!

Connect Grants Awarded to Community Programs

The Center recently awarded its last round of 2009 Connect Grants for Culturally Diverse Communities.

These grants partner the Leave No Trace program with organizations serving diverse communities to promote responsible recreation and environmental stewardship.

Students from the Wilderness Leadership and Learning (WILL) program in D.C. - previous Connect Grant recipient - on an expedition along the Appalachian Trail.

Connect Grants this round were awarded to:

• Campfire USA - Heartland Council, KS
• Sierra Nevada Journeys, CA
• Prairie View A&M University, TX
• Student Conservation Association - Community Crew Program, FL
• Valley View Elementary School, AZ

Connect Grants award educational materials, training and scholarships that support Leave No Trace community programs and strive to create long-term partnerships with recipients.

Know of an organization that you'd like to nominate for a Connect Grant in 2010? Have some tips on how to make the Leave No Trace program most relevant to your own community?

Email Sarah in the Education Department: sarah@LNT.org

Culturally Responsive Environmental Education

Denver was lucky enough to be the site for the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) conference this year.

Even with the very wintery weather, hundreds of educators, teachers and school administrators made the the trek to the annual conference, the theme this year being "Name the Change You Wish to See."

Multicultural Education (MCE) or Culturally Responsive Education is just as applicable to non formal classroom settings or environments as it is to formal school districts. The backgrounds of students participating in outdoor or environmental programs are just as diverse as those in a city classroom.

Campers at a Central Park Summer Camp participate in a nature-based activity. Photo by Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers - Team East.

If you run a literature search for Multicultural Environmental Education (MEE), the findings are a bit limited, though there are are several case studies and assessment tools that look at the framework, intentions and outcomes of urban based environmental programs.

Here is a link to a cultural competency study conducted by the Barr Foundation in MA, looking at three urban-based environmental programs in the city of Boston: Understanding Cultural Competency.

A very comprehensive study, it reminds us that while environmental education is important and relevant to everyone, the environmental issues and values that people bring to the table are diverse and often culturally defined.

Anyway, enjoy the articles and, as always, leave your comments for us!

Have a great day,

Sarah

Connect Grants- Deadline Extended!

Connect Grants for Culturally Diverse Communities provide Leave No Trace educational materials, training and partnership to programs working with multicultural communities.

The deadline this year has been extended to November 1, 2009.

For more information on Connect, and to apply, please visit: http://lnt.org/programs/connect_grants.php

View the photos below for information on past recipients. Please direct any questions, comments or inquiries to grants@LNT.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

View more presentations or Upload your own.

Teen Program Page

Hey all-

Check out the new Teen Program page on our website. Content for this page was a collaboration between the Center and the Youth Partnership for Health (YPH), a teen advisory committee for health and environment issues in the state of Colorado.

There are also links to other Educator Resources. Please let us know what you think, and if you have questions!

Sarah
Education Department

Youth Taking Action

Hello there!

Just wanted to give a shout out to the EGBA (Environmental Bee Green Army) at Goddard Middle School in Littleton, CO.

The EGBA is a group of 6th grade science students who have put their classroom discussion into action by doing environmental service-learning project in their community, such as park clean-ups and building soil erosion banks.

They've also created informational boards around their school on a variety of environmental/social issues, such as Leave No Trace. Here is a letter they sent us at the Center:
..............................................................................

Dear Leave No Trace,

The EGBA thanks you beyond belief! We were excited to know you were coming and hopeful to learn more about being environmentally protective. We loved your motto (leaving your mark is overrated); it inspired us even more to continue our green acts.

It was fun to participate in your activities. We all liked how you helped us make the right decision on what to bring when you are hiking or on a camping trip (the backpack helped).

Your introduction video was thought out nicely, and also helped us remember many useful things for the future. Your production was phenomenal and everything you taught us will always be useful throughout our green lives.

Sincerely,
EBGA
..............................................................................

What inspiring stories do you have about youth in your community? Please share!

Bringing the Outdoors In

Here are a few photos from a recent PEAK presentation with kindergartners at Pioneer Bilingual School/La Escuela Bilingue Pioneer in Lafayette, Colorado.


Driving to the park.


Stretching for a hike.


Looking at an eagle.


Jogging back down the trail.

With a little imagination, you can bring the outdoors (and Leave No Trace) anywhere.