Take A Peek at PEAK In Action

Tarpon Springs, FL.  Take a look at this video, shot at an elementary school in Florida earlier this week.  Kate leads a lesson on leave no trace using the PEAK Program.  PEAK- Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids- is an interactive, engaging program designed to educate youth about responsible recreation and land stewardship.  It is clear to see how much fun PEAK can be!  For more information about PEAK, check out www.lnt.org/programs/peak  

Respect the Resource...Kate and Tracy

Resources for Outdoor Recreation

With summertime recreation in full swing, it's exciting to see the variety of resources available to support outdoor programs, specifically those focused on youth. The Center offers a number of successful programs that promote responsible recreation to all ages and recreation groups.

PEAK (Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids) is a great resource for educators, providing kid-friendly activities to teach the principles of Leave No Trace. The e-tour is on the road, conducting fun, family-friendly workshops and presentations. Finally, the Center's Grants and Scholarships help support local initiative programs and training that educate the public about Leave No Trace.

In 2010, the Center received a generation donation from Gear to Grow, a non-profit program that acquires donated gear - such as backpacks - from outdoor retailers and manufacturers and places them into the hands of non-profits that promote outdoor recreation. Gear to Grow has also worked with several of the Center's grant recipients, including: Big City Mountaineers and cityWILD.

This year, Gear to Grow will be hosting a gear-drive at this year’s Outdoor Retailer Summer Market August 4-7.INVISTA’s CORDURA® brand booth (#38213) will serve as the official collection site for Gear to Grow’s Summer Market gear-drive. Exhibitors are encouraged to participate by dropping off surplus samples and equipment at the CORDURA® brand booth (#38213) during show hours. Additionally, exhibitors can ship donations prior to the show along with gear they plan to exhibit.

If you are at the show, support this great initiative and let other know about this available resource. For more information, email: contact@geartogrow.org.

Kicking Off Summer Camp Season In PA

School is out and it is time for summer camps to get rolling. We made our first visit to camp in Reading, PA to work with a dynamic group of teenagers attending an Environmental Leadership Camp at Alvernia University. This group was getting ready to head to Camp Joy for an overnight camping trip, so our timing was spot on. We discussed ways the teens could incorportate Leave No Trace into their outing. After a round of Minimum Impact Match, we challenged the group to a game of Leave No Trace Jeopardy. This provided a great opportunity to discuss the theory of Leave No Trace before they head out in the field to put it into practice. We wish all the best to future leaders in the environmental field.

Happy Adventuring...Kate and Tracy

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

Two of a Kind

This week we wrapped up our tour of the east coast with a few summer camp events. First we headed to Massachusetts to work with the Metropolis of Boston Camp. We spoke with campers about the importance of Leave No Trace and encouraged a little friendly competition with one of our favorite activities from the PEAK Pack, Step On It-the Feud. Campers put their Leave No Trace prowess to the test as we quizzed them on the topics of litter, wildlife, and durable surfaces!

Next, we drove south to meet up with campers at Black Bear Lake Day Camp in New Jersey. We presented seven 45-minute workshops and were able to cover a wide range of Leave No Trace topics. Our favorite part of the day was a discussion we had with campers about wildlife. During the activity (which you can find in 101 Ways to Teach Leave No Trace) campers had the chance to play the role of local wildlife (black bears, snakes, squirrels and deer), which led to a great conversation about the effect that human behavior can have on wildlife.

All combined, we spoke with over 200 campers! Not a bad way to end an incredible journey through New England.

Successfully PEAKing interest at REI

Throughout our travels in New Mexico and Texas, we have had the opportunity to provide PEAK (Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids) training to six different REI stores. In 2001, REI partnered up with the Center to develop a program to introduce the Leave No Trace principles to youth in a fun and interactive manner. Through the generous support of REI, the PEAK Program is able to reach over 100,000 kids annually! Click here to find out how you can get your hands on a PEAK Pack to inspire the children in your life to become lifelong stewards of the land.

Safe Travels...Kate and Tracy