By LeAnn Schmitt
When you think about the best places to learn about fishing, hiking, and enjoying the great outdoors, Brooklyn and Queens may not be your first thought or even in your top 5 (or 10!). Recently, dozens of teachers from more than 50 schools in those boroughs were doing just that thanks to teacher training conducted by the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation’s (OTF) education staff and sponsored by the Dallas Safari Club Northeast Chapter. The OTF’s Outdoor Adventures K-12 (OA) in-school outdoor education curriculum is now in 1,400 schools in all 50 states and Canada.
Scot McClure, Director of Education, and Tari Garner, Outdoor Adventures Coordinator, conducted training sessions on May 13-14. The physical education instructors were enthusiastic about learning new ways to engage their students in outdoor skills. Teachers learned various skills, including how to use a compass, cast a rod and reel, and tie fishing knots. Additionally, they learned how to teach survival skills, hiking, camping, and wildlife conservation. Outdoor Adventures is usually taught as a physical education class, and creative activities are used to teach conservation and outdoor skills. Most of the teachers at these sessions were elementary PE teachers. The elementary version of Outdoor Adventures is the fastest-growing segment of the program which is exciting for the overall success of the program since research proves that the earlier kids are introduced to the outdoors, the more likely they are to stay involved in outdoor activities as adults.
The training was a great success and the coordinator of Queens Schools said 100% of her schools want to start Outdoor Adventures at their schools this fall. Tari Garner, the OTF’s OA Coordinator said, “Training NYC teachers was one of the most engaging trainings we’ve ever done! The teachers were so eager to learn outdoor skills and how to teach those skills in a variety of settings. Outdoor Adventures is going to be an exciting addition to NYC physical education programs, and teachers and students will love it!”
The OTF is looking for additional funding to help get OA in these New York schools. The OTF is a 501c3 nonprofit charitable organization, EIN 75-1761481. See www.GoOTF.com for more information or contact LeAnn Schmitt, Director of Partnership Development at (817) 410-5054 or email LeAnn@GoOTF.com.