Open for Business
Written by Mary Britton-Simmons
After almost two years without working with students, the Youth Education Committee is starting to get busy again. During the hiatus, however, we awarded two college scholarships to amazing high school seniors, updated our EAS web pages, revised lesson plans and PowerPoints, and added two members to our six-member committee bringing the numbers up to eight dedicated volunteers.
While we do not know what the coming year will bring, requests for programs are beginning to roll in. On August 28, we will have a booth at Woodmoor Elementary’s Welcome Back Picnic at the Redmond Connector Park. September will see us back at our old haunt, Juanita Bay Park, for an introduction to birds, walk and park clean-up with Camp Kindness, a non-profit organization that focuses on helping children feel confident, curious, and productive. Leaders encourage them to contribute to their communities and schools. YEC members have worked several times with this wonderful organization located in Bellevue.
A call came in to EAS from the Field STEM Manager at the Pacific Education Institute, a non-profit in Olympia, which encourages teachers to focus on outdoor education, career connections, and real-world science. She put the YEC into contact with the K-5 Science Facilitator for Riverview School District. The three of us met over Zoom and decided to collaborate on programs for teachers and students. Dates are to be determined but will include in-service for the kindergarten teachers at Carnation Elementary School plus workshops and walks in the fall for their students. We have worked previously at several locations in this school district so it will be fun to be back with delightful kindergartners.
Yes, the YEC is open for business. Send us an email at the button below to learn more and volunteer to help with our mission.
The Youth Education Committee envisions a world where children are inspired to connect to nature and especially to birds so that they become lifelong stewards of the environment.