PLT Educator Speaks Up for Environmental Education
As part of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, the Administration held a youth-focused listening session in Orlando, Florida, on August 26.
A Project Learning Tree representative attended the session to speak up about the role environmental education should play in the initiative to connect youth to the Great Outdoors. Mark Miller, an enthusiastic PLT Facilitator from Apopka, FL shared some of his feedback from the session:
It was interesting that even the youth report addressed how much students want to do more outside activities - both on a recreational and educational front. From soccer for school credit, to more PE, or providing more field trips to nature centers, parks or trails. Everyone shared some basic fundamental ideas to stimulate outdoor opportunities for students.
I believe - to do this, involvement must start from the top and be administrated downward - but to provide that key element in reaching students it must start from the bottom up…
In response to the challenges and obstacles involved with connecting kids to the outdoors, Mark stressed the need for “greater partnerships, grants and required direction for getting kids outdoor like the passage of No Child Left Inside Act.”
What Works toward conservation, recreation and reconnect people to the outdoor? “Grants,” Mark said. “I mentioned two—our recent planting of over 325 trees to rebuild an Pine Upland Community, and and several years back we had the opportunity to have 6 students for a whole summer explore the many different environmental careers. Curriculums like PLT and many others can offer that opportunity.
In the discussion about the role of the federal government, Mark shared, “education was a big discussion, partnerships and advertising” to raise awareness about environmental problems. “And again, passing programs like No Child Left Inside.
Putting it all together, Mark stressed:
It keeps coming back to the concept of providing the right education and getting the requirement into the system to promote outdoor usage and connections!
Project Learning Tree offers one of the original curriculums that can promote many facets of Outdoor and EE Connections. It truly can be the ‘window to the world.’
