Neighborhood Naturalists

Wild natural spaces foster growth, imaginative-thinking, and creative problem-solving. Studies have proven the myriad of physical and mental health benefits of outdoor education. However, standard classrooms barricade access to green spaces, even when the curriculum is focused on the natural sciences. Children need adequate time outdoors to explore their local environment and form fundamental connections about their roles as citizens of the world. Therefore, our project is dedicated to standardizing outdoor environmental education in schools, which begins with creating volunteer-based nature education walks for elementary classrooms in local neighborhoods. We want to inspire students to be grounded in the natural world and to consciously consider the environment in their daily interactions.