2010 Tourney for the Journey

Posted on 03.09.10 by snjadmin

March is upon us, which means NCAA March Madness and the 4th Annual Sierra Nevada Journeys Tourney for the Journey are here!! Fill out a bracket, and make a difference in the lives of students while competing for great prizes (full prize details are below). Even last place gets a worthy prize; a 2010 Tourney for the Journey Snuggie! It’s easy to get started, just follow the instructions below. Donations are not required to participate in Tourney for the Journey, however all new donations will be generously matched by The Stillwater Foundation, making this an exceptional time to make an investment in the education and future of our youth. Feel free to make a tax deductible donation using our safe and easy paypal method:

1. Register
To enter the Tourney, register using the Online Registration Form. The Tourney begins immediately after the NCAA Selection Show on March 14 and will continue for the entire National Championship Tournament. Register and make your selections by 9:00 AM pacific time the morning of March 18th. Currently, pre-registration is taking place until picks are made available on the registration site on March 14th. We will contact registrants when picks are made available.

2. Make your selections
After March 14th, revisit the registration page (link above) to make your selections and register if you haven’t already. If you pre-registered, we will remind you to fill in a bracket. Confirm your selections using the submit button at the bottom of the page. Please note, you will not be able to revise your picks after hitting submit. Follow all additional instructions listed on that page, observing all posted deadlines. All picks must be made by March 18 at 9:00 AM Pacific time.

3. If you’re feeling generous…
Donations are not required for entry into the Tourney, however, donations are welcome. $25 could sponsor an hour of experiential classroom learning for two students, $100 could sponsor one student’s 6-hour journey to understanding what a watershed is and why it’s important, and $250 could support an entire classroom of students engaging in a hands-on energy or earth science lesson. Donations can either be submitted online by clicking on the “Donate” button above, or via mail (checks payable to “Sierra Nevada Journeys”) at 1301 Cordone Ave Suite 200 Reno NV 89502. These donations ensure that students will have access to life-changing opportunities, despite any economic challenges their families may face. Your donation will have a direct impact on the lives of students in our community.

4. Game on!
We will provide updates right here on Journeys Window throughout the tournament so you will know exactly where you stand. Click here for 2010 Tourney for the Journey Rules and Restrictions. In addition to bragging rights, we have lined up some excellent prizes:

1st place will receive a travel adventure package including a $200 Southwest Airlines gift card, and a 2010 National Parks Pass
2nd place will receive a $75 REI gift card, to help fulfill athletic and outdoor aspirations
3rd place will receive a Reno themed box, including Atlantis Casino playing cards and dice, and items from Reno eNVy.

Last place does not go unrewarded. The last place prize is a 2010 Tourney for the Journey Snuggie to keep you warm and snug after cold, hard defeat.

Best of luck to you all, and thank you for playing! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Louisa.

Becky at the OPTS Conference – Final Report

Posted on 03.02.10 by Louisa

Saturday morning brought back the cool temps and clouds, and even some rain to the conference. Though the weather was gloomy the mood inside the Teacher’s Symposium was sunny. Richard Vineyard was again a highlight of Saturday’s session as he rolled out the GreenPrint to the educators attending the inaugural Symposium. Dr. Vineyard provided the background and overview of the plan, the connection with No Child Left Inside, and provided a framework for the future progress for the plan in an effort to promote interest and solicit input.

The day was full of content sessions, action studios, and round table discussions that provided teachers with tools, techniques, content, resources and practice for using the environment as an integrating context for learning. Teachers explored the story of Gil, the Iguana, as they learned about how to use graphic novels as a means of exciting students about wildlife endangerment; and then participated in a mock investigation unit that is being developed by the Public Lands Institute staff. Place-based study was a theme for many sessions, including topics such as: Plants of the Mojave, Geology of Southern Nevada, People of the Mojave, and Margie Klein’s engaging session on Animals of the Mojave. Teachers also had an opportunity to explore the hidden beauty of Southern Nevada as they learned how to use the visual arts as a portal to engage students and to help them reach a deeper understanding and appreciation of science, geography and social studies.

EarthForce staff presented a dynamic presentation on how to use service learning as a means for improving test scores and increasing student engagement and enthusiasm for learning. The day concluded with roundtable discussions on topics such as field trip opportunities and funding possibilities, the Desert Research Institute’s GreenPower Schools Program, opportunities available through CHOLLA, and a host of opportunities through State of Nevada agencies. Educators experienced the delicious food provided by Wolfgang Puck’s and the luckiest of educators left with wonderful door prizes and cactus gardens.

Overall if was a wonderful conference, and Sierra Nevada Journeys was proud to be a part of the planning committee, in addition to being an integral (especially Jonathan Mueller, and Laurie Gray) part of the writing and rolling out of the Nevada GreenPrint. Thank you to UNLV’s Public Lands Institute and their Southern Nevada partners who hosted everyone so graciously. And to the Springs Preserve for providing such an amazing backdrop to the week. We’ll miss you all, thanks again, see you next year! Until then – RLB out

Becky at the OPTS Conference – Friday Report

Posted on 02.26.10 by Louisa

Good Afternoon from the Our Places Tell Stories Conference in Las Vegas, NV! It is somewhat cloudy again today, and kinda crazy busy, but we are eating well and presenting handily. Laurie Gray and I presented Project Learning Tree Early Childhood curriculum and educational theory this morning to an enthusiastic audience. The definite highlight was the To be a Tree activity where participants used paper grocery bags and crayons to take rubbings of Springs Preserve tree trunks on the bags which were cut to form vests; they then made rubbings of leaves on paper which were connected in a ‘crown’ with pipe cleaners; after putting on their vests and crowns the group engaged in song to help learn what each part of the tree does! It was a lively group excited to be trees for at least a little while! It is always rewarding as a presenter and facilitator when you have a group that gets so excited to learn something new and takes pride in participating effectively so when they return to their own programs they have an accurate picture of how an activity will proceed instead of just learning a new activity to get their students excited about nature.

Today’s keynote speaker, Dr. Richard Vineyard Assistant Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Accountability with the Nevada Department of Education and an instrumental force in the creation of the Nevada GreenPrint elucidated upon the environmental literacy plan and the history of environmental literacy not only in Nevada but in the nation as a whole. Dr. Vineyard is an excellent engaging orator, who in addition to being informative on the GreenPrint for the conference attendees, took pleasure in sharing pictures of himself exploring the wilds of Nevada!

Sierra Nevada Journeys has one more presentation to go today by Jonathan Mueller, and Laurie Gray has two remaining presentations tomorrow for the OPTS Teacher Symposium. I’ll wrap up this blogging series next week with a thorough recap of the entire conference’s programming and our Las Vegas adventures! For now – RLB out

Becky at the OPTS Conference – Thursday Report

Posted on 02.25.10 by Louisa

Good Afternoon from the Our Places Tell Stories Conference in Las Vegas, NV! Today it is bright, sunny, and warm, the enormous desert sky reflecting beautifully off of the golden Trump tower in the distance. Being out at the preserve here has the feeling of being removed from the hustle and bustle of the strip, helping to get all the conference attendees into the right mindset to immerse in ways and means to improve environmental literacy and environmental education programs.

This mornings’ keynote speaker was Kevin Coyle, a leading proponent voice in the political landscape of environmental education, with many years experience. He spoke eloquently on the studies he has helped perform that gauge the average Americans’, and American students’, understanding of environmental issues and the crucial steps necessary to execute REAL environmental/conservation education instead of just attempting to inform the public through sound bytes. Another topic Coyle spoke on that proved memorable and influential to me and many other audience members, was the tendency of environmental educators to assume that their students have certain knowledge, leading facilitators to not explain adequately, or to explain perhaps in a condescending way, a concept or vocabulary term which then effectively turns their students off to the issue they are trying to educate them on. Therefore as environmental educators, and advocates, we must remember that in our communities those whom we are attempting to educate may not be as informed as we are and practicing patience as we share our passion will help us be successful in our pursuits.

Following Kevin Coyle’s speech I was happy to attend a session on Engaging Audiences in Stewardship where I learned about a successful collaboration between agencies here in Southern Nevada in the pursuit of restoring the Blackbrush population which has been decimated by invasive grasses and wildfires. Interestingly the partnership involves scientists (Josh Hoines), educators (Amanda Rowland), and volunteer coordinators (Dr. Elizabeth Barrie) to provide events where the public can help participate in seed collection, seed-ball making, and seed dispersion of the Blackbrush. Seed-balls are a method used to assist in germination, where a seed is surrounded by mud and clay then dispersed to germinate which can then only happen when the conditions are optimal as the rain/snow washes away the mud shell (and it also helps protect the seed from being eaten by critters!).  The trio had lessons valuable to anyone who may need to collaborate and cooperate effectively with colleagues and partners! So far it has been another productive day, I am looking forward to a hike/walk through the grounds this afternoon, followed by another evening adventure… Until later – RLB out

Becky at the OPTS Conference – Evening Report

Posted on 02.24.10 by Louisa

Greetings! What a wonderful first day and kickoff keynote speech by Richard Louv. The renowned author made powerful points about connecting youth with nature, and to remember that we are a part of nature, and that we must be able to imagine a better future and paint an illustration of that future for our kids! The SNJ crew enthusiastically thanks Mr. Louv for signing a book for us, and graciously taking a picture too!

Becky at the OPTS Conference – Kickoff Morning

Posted on 02.24.10 by Louisa

Good Morning from the Our Places Tell stories conference in Las Vegas, NV! It is cold and cloudy outside but excitingly productive and warm inside here at the Springs Preserve (CLICK HERE TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE). If you haven’t seen, or even heard of, this facility it is really beautiful and constructed extremely greenly! I am having fun walking around quizzing myself on Mojave plant identifications of which I used to be the master; and am rediscovering once-heavily practiced knowledge was retained or at least is returning. Jonathan Mueller and Allison Brody kicked off the conference this morning with an overview of the Nevada GreenPrint, which outlines the plan for environmental literacy in our state (CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEVADA GREENPRINT). Conference attendees were excited to learn about the plan and were given an opportunity to provide feedback on the plan’s Core Concepts. A second breakout session provided the opportunity to brainstorm surrounding professional development related to environmental literacy! It is going to be a busy day, but everyone is looking forward to tonight’s keynote speaker, author of Last Child in the Woods… Richard Louv! More to come – RLB out!

ROEE Conference 2010

Posted on 02.23.10 by Louisa

The Residential Outdoor Environmental Education (ROEE) international conference was hosted by Sierra Nevada Journeys, the youngest organization to ever host the conference, and was held last weekend at Camp Galilee on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Nevada.  The conference is held annually as an opportunity to facilitate growth and promote the exchange of ideas among outdoor educators.  All events revolved around the theme of the 2010 ROEE conference, “Vitamin D – it does a child good.”  Participants engaged in snowshoeing and cross country ski adventures, networking around the campfire, and workshops (including ropes of ecology, and measuring climate change).    Participants also studied benchmarks for ROEE success, Ecological debriefing, and attended presentations by Sierra Nevada Journeys’ staff, including a presentation from Executive Director Jonathan Mueller.  The conference wasn’t entirely presentation based, however; a scavenger hunt using gps units took place, as well as kayaking and a chilly early morning dip in the lake, dubbed the “Tahoe Tessie” swim.  Despite the freezing water, attendees enjoyed incredible weather with lots of sun and blue skies.   Sierra Nevada Journeys is grateful to ROEE for the opportunity to host the 28^th annual conference, and looks forward to attending next years’ conference as well!  Thank you to all who attended this years’ conference! Sierra Nevada Journeys would also like to extend special thanks to donors who made the conference possible: BuckBean Brewery, Reno Envy, Atlantis Casino and Resort, Reno Artown, University Nevada Reno, and the Silver Legacy.

Youth Backcountry Camp 2010!

Posted on 02.17.10 by Louisa

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I just wanted to share some exciting news with you all:

Sierra Nevada Journeys is excited to announce dates for the 2010 Youth Backcountry Camps!  For those who are  new to the Sierra Nevada Journeys family, our Youth Backcountry Camp program is a 3 day backpacking program designed for High School students from Northern Nevada and California.  The program takes place on the Tahoe Rim Trail and includes a service project with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association to help restore or build new trail.  It is an excellent opportunity for students to experience backpacking and to spend several days in the wilderness learning new skills.

Vice President of Education, Nick Pretasky, who c0-lead the Youth Backcountry Camps last year , says that the positive decision-making opportunities provided to students on these trips is by far one of the most valuable aspects of the experience.  One of his favorite memories of last years trips was when the students chose to hike an extra 4 miles one day in order to be able to wade in Marlette Lake.  Although it was pretty far off the beaten path, they were excited to take on the challenge partly because they were sweaty and dirty after a long day of trail building but mostly because they had chosen it for themselves.  The impact of that choice on the students was one of the most valuable lessons During Youth Backcountry Camp trips as students feel empowered to make positive choices.

Not only are students given choices, but they also learn valuable outdoor living skills such as fire-building, orienteering, shelter building, backcountry cooking, water filtration, and low-impact camping through Leave No Trace ethics.  The service learning project component instills in students a sense of responsibility for their natural spaces.

Another unique aspect of this program is that Sierra Nevada Journeys also offers a Youth Backcountry Camp just for girls age middle school and up.  This is a truly unique opportunity for girls to get experience in the backcountry, learn new skills, and feel empowered through service learning.

Many students who participate in Youth Backcountry Camp have never been in the backcountry before and in some cases, have never been camping before.  The Tahoe Rim Trail Association and Sierra Nevada Journeys provide all the equipment that students will need in the backcountry including backpacks, camp stoves, food, water bottles, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads.  All students need in order to participate is to provide all of the clothing that they need for a 3 day- 2 night trip.

The dates for this year’s Youth Backcountry Camps are as follows:  Girls Only Trip- June 21st-23rd.  High School Co-ed Trips July 11th-13th, July 16th-18th, and July 21st-23rd.  Please see the Youth Backcountry Camp section of the Sierra Nevada Journeys website for details on registration and fees.  Some full and partial scholarships are available.

New this year, we will be offering a full week-long trip for prior year participants of Youth Backcountry Camp!  Any students who have participated in the past and would like the opportunity for a longer trip this year, may sign up for this years week-long trip in August.  The focus will be on expanding on the skills learned in prior-year Youth Backcountry Camp trips with a greater focus on the “hard skills” associated with backpacking including longer hikes, more cooking, orienteering, and service learning.  Please contact the Tahoe Rim Trail Association office for more details.

Youth Backcountry Camp is a great opportunity for teens to gain positive experience in leadership, decision making, outdoor living skills, and community service.  But most of all it is fun!  See you all in the backcountry!

-Kristen (aka. Sequoia)

Current EE News and Legislation

Posted on 02.17.10 by Louisa

No Child Left Inside Movement

Language from No Child Left Inside was included officially in the President’s version of the ESEA (formerly known as No Child Left Behind) on February 1, 2010!  Congratulations and thank you supporters!  It is exciting to see this movement gaining traction on a national scale along side other major education priorities including early childhood, literacy, STEM and 21^st century skills!  Never before has environmental education been reflected in a budget!

In next steps, the Earth Day Network and NCLI Coalition are trying to make a national call for kids to learn outside on Earth Day, and are looking for a high-level figure to help lead the way.  Let’s get some grassroots momentum going for this and do what we can to facilitate our local students to learn outside on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.

With the NCLI victory still fresh in everybody’s minds; look for a slight shift in focus to the National EE Act in the immediate future.

National Environmental Education Act

The National Environmental Education Act, which was passed in 1990 and is the major funding source for the EPA office of Environmental Education and subsequently many EE organizations and programs through EPA grant money (the National EE Foundation, EETAP, NAAEE), is up for reauthorization.  Folks with NAAEE and the National Environmental Education Foundation are working with Congress for reauthorization and hope to get a bill in the Senate and in the House soon, ideally with a signature by President Obama by the end of 2010.  The major obstacle right now is getting support from Republican Senators!  Senator Lamar Alexander (R- TN) backed out of talks with the National EE Foundation.

Because of a shift in the language in the annual appropriation to the EPA through this ACT (between 9-14 million), there may much less money going towards the grant side of the program next year!!

California’s First Environmental Education Curriculum Receives Approval from the State Board of Education

SACRAMENTO –  Linda Adams, Secretary for Environmental Protection, announced that the Agency’s Education and the Environment Initiative’s (EEI) environmental curriculum received final approval from the California State Board of Education for use in California classrooms beginning this year.

“This nation-leading initiative will educate our next generation of workers in environmental preservation and protection and will help catapult California ’s growing green economy,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Protecting our environment and preserving California ’s natural beauty for future generations is a top priority for my Administration. This curriculum will further our deep commitment to high academic standards while balancing environmental preservation and protection and helping to develop a well trained workforce to continue growing California’s economy.”

“This curriculum will expand environmental literacy at a time when protecting our environment is paramount. This will be the benchmark for the nation, likely stretching to foreign countries. The curriculum will help prepare today’s students to become future scientists, economists and green technology leaders,” said Adams .

The curriculum includes 85-units of environment-related education in the traditional subjects of Science and History/Social Science for grades K-12th. It was developed in partnership with business, nonprofits, state agencies and education partners. Seventy-six of the 85 units were approved today, with the remaining nine units to be approved in the Spring. The curriculum will be available online this year and EEI hopes to be able to provide printed versions and teacher training in the coming years. The EEI curriculum has no fiscal impact. To see draft versions of the units, visit www.calepa.ca.gov/Education/EEI/Curriculum/Default.htm#CurriculumUnits.

“This first-in-the-nation environmental curriculum will help change the way we look at solving our environmental problems. Today’s environmental issues are integrated into everyday life, and this curriculum gives us the opportunity to help shape our future leaders and educate them about preserving our environment through their everyday academics,” said Senator Fran Pavley, who introduced the law in 2003.

“This ground-breaking initiative builds on our state’s high academic standards and positions California to lead the nation in environmental literacy and education,” added Superintendant of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell. “I look forward to working with our partners to bring this important curriculum into classrooms across the state.”

SNJ and Desiree Gray, present a kaleidoscope of ideas to connect biodiversity and literacy!

Posted on 02.09.10 by Louisa

Class on a Saturday?!?!… Absolutely!   On Jan. 23^rd, (yes, a Saturday) an enthusiastic group of educators met in the computer lab at Reed High School and explored Project Learning Tree (PLT) lessons and how to creatively weave content literacy strategies into their days.  Using science and the environment as the overarching theme through which to teach literacy, was the brainchild of Sierra Nevada Journey’s guest facilitator, Desiree Gray. Even though it was a Saturday, the workshop proved that there is no better time to network with other educators, gather new resources, laugh, and have fun while you continue to search for amazing lessons to get your students excited about learning!

Desiree is a regional literacy trainer with the Regional Professional Development program and she crafted an entertaining and engaging day exploring eleven different lessons from the PLT PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide.  One highlight was the Habitat Pen Pals lesson where students learn about the diversity of habitats around the world, and then write letters from the perspective or organisms living in those habitats.  Another favorite was The Forest of S.T. Shrew, where students read a story about taking a shrew’s perspective of life in the woods. By learning this different perspective students can gain an appreciation for the variety of habitats within a forest. The workshop provided wonderful opportunities to practice literacy improvement strategies using activities such as Say Something and Somebody Wanted.  Say Something consists of students turning to a partner and saying something related to a reading – they can make a prediction, make a connection, offer an opinion, or ask a question.    Somebody Wanted requires students to consider a reading by identifying a character, motivation, conflict and resolution.

Altogether it was a full day; in addition to experimenting with such a wide variety of PLT lessons workshop attendees also had an opportunity to explore the technology connections associated with the PLT lessons.   This included looking through the All About Nature website (CLICK HERE to visit!) and PLT’s Earth To Sky resource.  Typical of Sierra Nevada Journeys’ workshops, take-away resources were quite prevalent – websites, hand-outs, the PLT PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide, the Northern Nevada Writing Project Reading Across the Content Area Guide, and the Northern Nevada Writing Project Compare and Contrast Guide.   Everyone left with arms and brains full of winning resources and fresh strategies to take back to their classrooms!

Sierra Nevada Journeys would like to give a big “thanks” to Desiree for a great day of learning!

“Trees are Terriffic…and Energy Wise!” 2010 Arbor Day National Poster Contest

Posted on 02.02.10 by Louisa

“This great trunk, these stalwart limbs, these beautiful branches, these gracefully bending boughs, these gorgeous flowers, this flashing foliage and ripening fruit, purpling in the autumnal haze are only living materials organized in the laboratory of Nature’s mysteries out of rain, sunlight, dews, and earth.”—J. Sterling Morton

Arbor Day, an international holiday founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872, celebrates and honors Earth’s existing trees and promotes the planting of new ones. Although Arbor Day began in Nebraska City, Nebraska, it is now celebrated all over the world—including Lincoln Park Elementary in Sparks, Nevada!

When a Sierra Nevada Journeys instructor arrived at Lincoln Park Elementary for after-school program with a big box of art supplies, the group of fifth graders stared at the box with curiosity and bit of skepticism. “What are we going to do with all that?” one girl asked.

Once settled in the classroom, the instructor asked the group who had heard of Arbor Day, and was answered with a show of enthusiastic hands. After a thought-provoking discussion about the importance of trees, the students were told about a very special opportunity—an Arbor Day Poster Contest for exclusively fifth grade students! There were only a few important guidelines: the posters could not contain any computer or photo-generated images, the poster had to include, and relate to, the 2010 Arbor Day theme, “Trees are Terrific… and Energy Wise,” and the student had to sign his or her name at the bottom.  Details about the contest can be found at http://www.arborday.org/kids/postercontest/index.cfm.

Keeping these specifications in mind, along with themes and ideas that emerged from the discussion, students set to work drafting their ideas and experimenting with a variety of artistic media.

The Lincoln Parkers were thrilled to open up unused packages of pastels and professional watercolors, and learn how to apply, blend, and coordinate the various shades. One particular student with rainbow-colored fingertips, who was new to the after-school program, exclaimed to his group members, “This class is actually pretty fun!” Everyone seemed to agree.

After two days allotted to working on their projects, the students generated some beautiful posters. Not only were they artistically creative and colorful, but they captured the essence of Arbor Day and the importance of our too often overlooked leafy neighbors.

The next step will be to mail the stack of posters to Nevada’s Contest Coordinator to share with the Arbor Day Foundation some of the tremendous creativity coming out of Reno, Nevada!

Summit Camp!

Posted on 01.26.10 by Louisa

Sierra Nevada Journeys is gearing up for summer!

Summit Camp this year will be hosted at Sierra Nevada Journeys’ campus, Grizzly Creek Ranch, only 40 minutes outside of Reno and 2 hours outside of Sacramento.  We combine the fun and play of traditional summer camp with hands on learning activities that engage campers in fun and learning at the same time!  There are 4 sessions of Summit Camp this summer, which are one day longer and the same price as last year!  Sessions begin June 13^th – 18^th, June 20^th – 25^th, June 27^th – July 2^nd, and end July 5^th – 10^th.  Grizzly Creek Ranch is 100% handicap accessible (including the pool and challenge course).  Lessons and activities reflect State Educational standards, yet students typically have no idea they are learning.  Your children can expect to have a blast this summer, while attending Summit Camp and learning about Leave No Trace Principles, valuable outdoor survival skills, leadership and team building skills.  Activities at camp include: Hiking, Night Hiking, Kayaking, Fishing, Ropes course, Alpine tower, Ultimate Frisbee, Swimming pool, Arts and crafts, Color wars, Basketball, and so much more!!!  We are excited for summer and can’t wait to see you there!

Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Dilworth Middle School

Posted on 01.19.10 by Louisa

Students in the TEAM UP after school program at Dilworth Middle School in Sparks, NV kicked-off a spring semester project by devoting time on both Saturday, January 9^th and Monday, January 18^th to design and paint two large banners in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The students are working to generate awareness in their community about bicycle safety for youth traveling to school by bicycle. 

Both days started with a delicious pancake breakfast at Dilworth where students helped to cook and serve the meal.  Once everyone had their fill, the sketching and painting began.  Students worked on Saturday, January 9 to create the first banner depicting pictures of bicycles and the quote from Dr. King “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve”.  Then, on MLK Day, students gathered to commemorate Dr. King and complete the second banner, which has a large drawing of Dr. King, the Dilworth knight’s mascot, and the quote from Dr. King: “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend”.

As a way to engage the whole school in this spring semester project, the banners will be displayed both at Dilworth and at elementary schools where the students will be teaching bike safety and repair.  Work on this project wasn’t exclusive to these two days.  During after school lessons in December and early January, students began researching information about Martin Luther King Jr., selecting quotes and sketching pictures for the banners. Through the spring, students will participate in three integrated after school classes focusing on:  1) citizenship and service, 2) bike maintenance and 3) bike safety and personal health. Sierra Nevada Journeys is very excited to see youth taking an initiative to make important community change!

We would like to give a huge thank you to the following students pictured on this page who participated in both days of banner making: Edgar, Cynthia, Jose, and Anthony.  And we would also like to thank Mrs. Knecht, Dean and TEAM UP Coordinator at Dilworth, who has devoted a tremendous amount of time to coordinate these events with us and for her consistent dedication to her students.  

There are also important community partners who made this event possible.  To Home Depot, located at 2955 Northtowne Lane in Reno, thank you for your generous donation of supplies.  Thank you very much Youth Service America for the generous financial contribution in support of this service learning project.  This material is based upon work supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service under Learn and Serve America Grant No. 09KSADC002.  Opinions or points of view expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessairly reflect the official position of the Corporation or the Learn and Serve America Program.

“Experts Urge Earlier Start to Teaching Science”

Posted on 01.14.10 by Louisa

A recent article published by Education Week highlights the importance of science education for even our youngest students.  According to the article, currently, “science is one of the areas in which children show the least learning growth during their preschool years.”  At Sierra Nevada Journeys, we’ve decided to change that because we believe that children who are exposed to science at an earlier age are more likely to excel in their future studies and pursuits.  In order to address the educational needs of even our youngest scholars, we are partnering with Project Learning Tree (PLT) to bring professional development opportunities in early childhood environmental education to Nevada.  PLT will bring these opportunities to other states as well.  Click here to learn more about PLT’s early childhood programming!

The Energy of 6th Graders

Posted on 01.07.10 by Louisa

6^th graders at Madison Elementary in the Twin Rivers Unified School District put their knowledge of solar energy to practical use in December to cook nachos in homemade solar ovens! This delicious activity was part of the “Energy…Catch the Buzz!” unit through Sierra Nevada Journey’s Sacramento Outreach program.

This classroom lesson complemented other discovery-based activities that had the students investigating sources of renewable and non-renewable energy, and the unit included a field trip to Sacramento Valley Conservancy’s Deer Creek Hills, a natural area 20 miles Southeast of downtown Sacramento.  Mrs. Velo and Mr. Howell’s students were divided into 4 hiking groups and became energy detectives while exploring the Blue Oak preserve with their SNJ instructors – Sarah, Kristen, Adam and Joanna.   During the trip, students took part in problem solving activities including the Energy Line-up, Kinetic/Potential trail freeze, and the human knot, among others.  A student in Kristen’s group admitted that at first she was nervous to be outside in such a wild place but by the end of the day exclaimed; “I found out that nature is really cool!” Well, we couldn’t agree with her more!  Thank you to Principal Fields, Mrs. Velo, Mr. Howell and of course to the 6^th graders at Madison Elementary for a great program!

Wrapping up Outreach in Time for the Holidays

Posted on 12.18.09 by Louisa

As the holidays approach, the Outreach team would like to share a couple of stories from a powerful fall season of programming.  We have been working to empower students though a variety of after school, in-school, and field trip journeys.  Our afterschool clubs have been getting active with Adventure Games, experimenting in Adventure Science Club, and learning self efficacy in Wondrous Women of Science.  At Lincoln Park Elementary School, Sierra Nevada Journeys Outreach has been facilitating Adventure Science Club for 4 weeks at a time to each grade level.  Last week, the Outreach team started with a brand new group of 5th graders, but before the program began, one 4th grade girl was almost brought to tears as she  exclaimed, “BUT, you are the funnest!” as a protest that Sierra Nevada Jourrneys would not be working with her grade that day.

The weather provided a unique opportunity to get students out on snowshoes in their very own backyard.  In the last week before Christmas break, Dilworth Middle School students literally walked in a winter wonderland of snow while many students tried out snowshoes for the very first time.  Something as simple as bringing snowshoes to after-school program to offer a once in a lifetime opportunity reflects the whole-hearted beauty of which Sierra Nevada Journeys aspires.  Any time Outreach has a chance to inspire, empower and educate youth all in the same program, we know we are delivering a job well done.

We’ve also collaborated with outstanding community partners including Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Northern Nevada’s Childhood Cancer Foundation.  In fact, this last Saturday we were asked to have a table at the Big Brothers Big Sisters annual holiday party. Bigs and Littles alike were thrilled to check out our rock kit and learn about the three different types of rocks (although, some of the littles had quite a bit of their own geological knowledge to share!) and order the planets according to their distance from the sun. In addition, the Outreach team thought it would be fun and fitting to incorporate some snow science.  As the party-goers designed and shaped beautiful paper snowflakes, they checked out our ice-crystal guide, learned about how snow is formed, and identified the different conditions that determine  the shape of a snowflake.  The party was yet another perfect opportunity for the Outreach team to positively affect and inspire members of the community, and the perfect way to spend a cold, stormy morning!

It is experiences like these that motivate the Outreach team to always offer programs tha empower, inspire and educate students in an unforgettable way.  We are excited about continuing current programs, while expanding into several new schools this spring. Stay tuned to our website and blog  to find out more about Sierra Nevada JourneysOutreach Programs. For more direct contact, email Outreach Manager Joanna Furgiuele.

Happy Holidays from the Residential Team!

Posted on 12.16.09 by Louisa

There’s a common misconception that bears hibernate during the winter. During true hibernation, however, the heart rate goes down and metabolism slows, causing the body temperature to lower dramatically, in some animals to near freezing. It is a state of inactivity. Bears never reach that level. They go into something called winter lethargy or denning, in which they are able to conserve energy without shutting down for the season.

In the lull in between fall and winter sessions of Journeys Outdoor School, the residential outdoor team has come back home and gone indoors. We are catching our breath, but by no means inactive. While preparing for winter, Journeys Outdoor School Director Adam Yarnes still has an eye on next spring, creating new and exciting lessons for a new year. Kari, the administrative projects coordinator, is a season ahead of that, working on ways to get the word out about Summit Camp 2010. With all of this forward thinking going on, Tiffany, the residential schools coordinator, is working primarily with the past, revising lesson plans and preparing an evaluation that will give us answers on what we have done well and, most importantly, how we can be better. In this “down time” there are programs to be booked and information to be gathered and a thousand things to do, from past reflections to forward preparations to ensure that the programs in 2010 grow from our experiences in 2009. So, while this month the residential team may be spending more of our working time indoors, our state of being is definitely active.

We hope you are enjoying the snow and embracing the fact that humans don’t have to hibernate. Happy holidays from all of the Journeys Outdoor School Staff!

Reflecting on 2009

Posted on 12.04.09 by Louisa

As 2009 draws to a close at Sierra Nevada Journeys, we have so much to be thankful for.  In 2009, thanks to supporters like you, we have been able to serve over 6,000 students with over 104,000 hours of hands-on education, and we’ve had the ability to provide our life changing programming to every school, student, and family that has requested it, regardless of economic situation.  Thirty-six percent of students served are on their school’s Free & Reduced Price Lunch program (i.e. their parents can’t afford to send them to school with lunch each day).  A mother recently wrote to us after sending her son, a boy she identified as having special needs, to our programming.  She stated that after his Sierra Nevada Journeys experience he was “a changed boy.  Matthew stood taller with more confidence and wore a genuine smile that spread to his eyes. The sight warmed my heart.”  With your support,  Sierra Nevada Journeys aims to bring that same empowerment and confidence to youth throughout Northern Nevada and Northern California.

Please join us in inspiring students to want to learn again, and please consider Sierra Nevada Journeys in your year-end, holiday giving.  Below you will find how your gift can make a difference. You can give online at http://www.sierranevadajourneys.org/get-involved/donations/ or by sending a check to 1301 Cordone Avenue, Suite 200, Reno, NV 89502.   Thank you for helping us make a difference in our community, and in our world.

The following gift amounts* represent the difference you can make with your contribution:

• $25 supports an hour of in-class or after- school instruction for two students.
• $50 supports a student who will explore the outdoors as part of a Classrooms Unleashed field study.
• $100 supports one student’s 6-hour journey to understanding what a watershed is and why it’s important.
• $250 supports a classroom of students engaging in a hands-on watershed, energy or earth science lesson.  
• $1,000 supports four students’ fees to experience our life-changing, week-long, residential outdoor school.

*These dollar amounts represent an approximate cost of our programs. However, your gift will go toward all of our educational programming and the costs associated with making them happen.

After School Program at the Swanston Community Center in Sacramento

Posted on 11.24.09 by Louisa

Students who showed up at the local Community Center in the Mission Oaks Recreation and Parks district to hang out after school last Wednesday were surprised to find an enthusiastic instructor from Sierra Nevada Journeys waiting for them!  For the next hour and a half, the 10 or so students rose to the various challenges presented by the Adventure Team Building program.  The students, ages 5-15, seemed to enjoy the progressive challenge of the team-building initiatives, from an introductory “Group Name Juggle”, to the grand finale, “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish”.  As the students progressed, they started to communicate with each other more, which helped them to “pass” the increasingly difficult challenges. One of the best moments of the day was when the students asked the instructor for “a couple of minutes to talk about strategy” before starting the last challenge.  This is exactly what instructors like to hear!

The program continues tomorrow (November 25) with a lesson on Watersheds! This collaboration with Sierra Nevada Journeys and the Mission Oaks Recreation and Parks District is an exciting new turn for the Sacramento office, and for the students at the Swanston Community Center!

Water Testing at the Sparks Marina

Posted on 11.20.09 by Louisa

4th grade students at Coral Academy of Science were “unleashed” from their classrooms this past Thursday as they had the chance to perform water quality tests at the Sparks Marina! Rotating through three different testing stations, students measured dissolved oxygen levels, pH, and temperature of both the Marina water and previously collected buckets of Truckee River water. In spite of the group’s obvious excitement and about being outside—not to mention the intense winds that picked up shortly after their arrival—students were engaged in inquiry-based discussions regarding the pH scale, the effects of changes in pH, the importance of dissolved oxygen, and different factors that can effect dissolved oxygen levels. After testing water temperature, Sierra Nevada Journeys instructor, Kristen aka Sequoia, facilitated a hands-on food web activity to illustrate the interconnectivity between different organisms and their habitats.

As one of the Sierra Nevada Journeys’ instructors on this field-trip, it was hard to tell who was having more fun—the students, or the parents and teachers. The parent chaperones seemed equally engaged in learning about our water-testing kits along with the test results, as quite a few of their kids go swimming in the marina during the warmer seasons. One parent in particular chuckled when the group was gathered in a circle sharing results—apparently the marina was a little healthier than he expected! To finish off the morning, students had a chance to explore the marina, observe some of the impressive bird species, and record their observations in the form of a drawing or short paragraph. All in all, it was a great day, and another example of the value of place based learning.

Explore Your Watershed Workshop

Posted on 11.13.09 by Louisa

Sierra Nevada Journeys was proud to work alongside some of our valued partners to bring an amazing workshop to a cadre of our local educators last weekend at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. The wetland area near Fallon, NV was the backdrop to a day that involved natural history education, learning how to monitor watershed health and productivity, and an afternoon spent with a unique opportunity to kayak on the refuge’s waterways!

The day began at the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribal (FPST) facilities with a presentation by Mary Kay Wagner with the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection, which was designed to give wo

Reflections from an Outdoor School Instructor

Posted on 11.05.09 by Louisa

My favorite lesson of the weekly Journeys Outdoor School sessions was surprisingly one in which I had to work the least. I am not a slacker, nor am I advocating lackadaisical teaching—my next favorite lesson was taking students through the ropes course, in which I worked tirelessly to keep my group safe, energized, and engaged in a life-changing experience.

 The pond ecology lesson at Grizzly Creek Ranch, however, provided something different, something difficult to achieve in education. I gave my students nets to find macro-invertebrates, bowls to be filled with water, a silly song about the parts of an insect–head, thorax, abdomen–and a directive to explore the pond. They did the rest. After a few moments, a pair of my students would inevitably shout, “Wow, Jeff, come look at this!” and I would rush over to share in their joy at finding some weird creepy crawly thing. Using a dichotomous key, they would identify the invertebrate, and I would either affirm their discovery or gently prod them towards a more realistic identification. They usually got the identification correct, and they usually remembered the parts of an insect, but the results from this lesson run deeper. Exploring the pond from the water’s edge, kneeling on the ground to get a better view of a water scorpion, mayfly larva, backstrider, or damselfly, these kids–boys and girls alike–were enthralled with nature. They were excited about discovering new things and, whether they would openly acknowledge it or not, they were acting like scientists.

 After a season of working at Journeys Outdoor School, I hope my students remember the producer-herbivore-carnivore cycle and the adaptation bats use to find their prey. But, even more, I hope that I have given them a moment for themselves in nature, a spark that leads them on to new discoveries

 ~Jeff Dyer

Nevada Trails

Posted on 11.02.09 by Louisa

Jonathan Mueller was recently the guest on Nevada Trails, a show on Access Carson City that promotes safe  use of outdoor activities and sports. Thank you to Nevada Trails for  having us, and for all of their good work!   Click here to see Jonathan’s Nevada Trails debut!

Communities Unleashed

Posted on 10.28.09 by Louisa

What better way to learn about science than to take a step outside and immerse oneself in it? Sierra Nevada Journeys created its Classrooms Unleashed Field Trip program with this very idea in mind. Studies have shown that students learn better when they are given the chance to do and discover things on their own and that getting outside, even for just a little while, can improve a student’s focus and enthusiasm for education. The Reno/Tahoe area is abundant with beautiful, natural spaces to explore and enjoy, and Sierra Nevada Journeys knows just how to make this happen. In the past, Classrooms Unleashed has taken students to Spooner Lake, Silver Saddle Ranch, and even Mount Rose Meadows for snowshoeing adventures!

Now, we realize that it’s not just students who are suffering from what author Richard Louv refers to as “Nature Deficit Disorder.” So, on November 14th from 10 am – 2 pm Sierra Nevada Journeys will be hosting its first formal Communities Unleashed event at Galena State Park. This will be the first event of an ongoing effort to get families and community members excited about outdoor learning and science education. It is open to the public, free of cost, and will be jam packed with exciting nature-directed activities. Join us for guided hikes around Galena Forest, nature art, and a Service Learning Project in which we will clean-up the park while learning about the importance of “Leave No Trace” ethics. Refreshments will also be served! Join Sierra Nevada Journeys in providing a valuable learning experience that will encourage people to become caretakers of the natural world and active, engaged members of our community.

Galena State Park is immediately outside of Reno, just 6 miles up Mt. Rose Hwy/NV-431 W. If you have any questions, or would like to attend, please contact Darcey at (775) 355-1688 -or- darcey@sierranevadajourneys.org by Tuesday, November 10th, 2009.  We hope to see you there!

Place-Based Education Finds a Place in Harlem

Posted on 10.26.09 by Louisa

A recent article in the New York Times explores the merit of Field Trips, or as this article calls it, “Field Study.” Standardized tests often make references to bucolic farm and nature settings; however, young urban students (the students in this article are kindergarteners from Harlem) have no frame of reference or hands on knowledge of these settings, and therefore have trouble when these concepts are presented in standardized tests.

The article quotes teacher Abigail Johnson, who in a statement about her students, manages to express the crucial nature of hands-on and place based education: “They are good at reciting and remembering things,” she said, “but they can’t make the connection unless you show it to them.”

Read the full article.

Mutual of Omaha’s “Aha Moments”

Posted on 10.26.09 by Louisa

Jonathan Mueller, Executive Director of Sierra Nevada Journeys, recently described to Mutual of Omaha his “Aha moment” which led him to form an educational non-profit. Watch Jonathan’s aha moment!