Vida Verde Nature Education




	Lifelong Effects The experience of coming to camp is amazing, and the potential a trip like this holds for our students is astounding. So often when speaking with adults about V.V., we hear from them about their experience as a childhood camper. They relay to us vivid memories about something that happened to them 20 to 60 years ago at their camp! After they tell us their camp story about something that changed their consciousness, or sparked a lifelong interest for them, we like to ask them a question. The question is: Can you tell us anything else that affected you so deeply that year of your life? In fact, can you tell us anything at all that that you remember from school that year…anything? And, the answer we most often get is “Nope, I cannot remember anything else.” We know that a nature experience like this is something that opens new horizons for these young people, who will all too soon be adult citizens in our community. We know that it can change their lives. Indeed that is why we have devoted our lives to this cause. No child should be deprived of this rite of passage. Vida Verde is doing its part to help. We are using our personal skills in the best way we can to make a difference for the better. And, in some special cases this experience gets through to students who come back to us and tell about how their life now is a result of a key that was turned for them at V.V. When students come to the end of their three-day trip, they tell us that they don’t want to leave, and when we as instructors go to a school that we serve, all the older kids who’ve been to v.v. surround us and give hugs and hellos and want to talk about their trip again. Of course, not every student’s life is changed by their trip to V.V., and the trip is not a cure-all for the myriad of serious problems that face these challenged youngsters. We intend it to be a light, something to remember. We also are pleased to be doing our part with what we have, and trust that along with us, their teachers and parent(s) are doing what they can, and that there are other caring programs being offered to them as they grow. Effects on the Students, Teachers and Schools – Please enjoy this speech by a V.V. student and a wonderful poem written by a class who came to V.V. A 2005 study on the effects of outdoor environmental education programs for at-risk children in California showed that these multi-day programs had the following effects: a) Students’ science test scores increased by 27%, and the improved scores were maintained over time b) Students showed improvements in self esteem, cooperation, conflict resolution, leadership, relationships with peers, problem solving, motivation to learn, and behavior in class c) Parents of these students reported their children engaging in positive environmental behaviors at home (recycling, etc) -American Institutes for Reasearch, 2005 Vida Verde’s educational philosophy and methods of management create a foundation of support and encouragement which helps students stay positive and confident in themselves. This makes it possible for Vida Verde to achieve its goal of exciting the students about nature, camping and learning. The Vida Verde experience promotes teamwork and personal responsibility, and often improves students’ experiences when they return to school. Vida Verde aims to provide unique support for the teachers at the schools it serves. Our goal is to provide a multi-day field trip experience that is easy for teachers to manage in terms of pre-trip planning, affordability, student management, travel logistics, and follow-up. For the schools, we strive to improve the school-wide feeling of community through shared experience. We encourage schools to send not just one class of students to Vida Verde, but an entire grade level. Of the schools attending V.V. this year, nine of them are sending an entire grade of students. The result is school-wide tradition and better cohesion. With pictures and stories about their experiences on the walls of many different classrooms and in the halls, the campus-wide impact of Vida Verde is prevalent. Who are Vida Verde trips for? What sets Vida Verde apart? What’s the feedback about V.V.? What’s the long term impact of V.V.? How can I support Vida Verde?