Sierra Nevada Journeys: Where the Classroom Has No Walls
Listen to a recent episode of the Nonprofit Podcast Network, in which CEO Sean Hill and Advancement Officer Corrie Calderon share the story behind Sierra Nevada Journeys and the powerful role that outdoor experiences can play in a child’s education.
What happens when a child who has spent most of their life surrounded by buildings and pavement suddenly finds themselves standing beside a river, watching wildlife, or exploring a forest?
For Sierra Nevada Journeys, that question is at the heart of nearly 20 years of outdoor science education.
The conversation begins with a seemingly simple question from a student at Lake Tahoe: “Are there sharks in that ocean?” For Sierra Nevada Journeys, the question became a powerful reminder that proximity to nature does not necessarily mean access to it. A child can live just hours from the Sierra Nevada and still have little opportunity to experience a river, forest or mountain firsthand.
That realization reflects the organization's larger mission: making outdoor science education accessible to young people who might otherwise never have the opportunity. Through programs such as Classrooms Unleashed and Overnight Outdoor Learning, students don't just read about science; they investigate it. They touch, observe, question, experiment, and discover the natural world for themselves.
The podcast also highlights why Sierra Nevada Journeys views outdoor education as an equity issue as much as an educational one. Transportation, program costs, and access to nature can all be barriers for families and schools. Removing those barriers allows more students, including those from underserved communities, to experience the confidence and curiosity that can come from learning outdoors.
And sometimes, the impact of a single experience is immediate.
Corrie shares the story of a student who arrived for a field experience disengaged and resistant to participating. But after encountering wildlife and experiencing the outdoors firsthand, the student's attitude changed. The experience opened the door to curiosity and joy, illustrating how a few hours outside can change the way a young person sees both the world and themselves.
Sean also reflects on the longer-term impact of these experiences, including the story of a former fifth-grade participant whose time with Sierra Nevada Journeys may have helped influence her future academic path. These stories demonstrate that the organization's impact isn't limited to what happens during a field trip or week at camp. The goal is to plant seeds of curiosity, confidence, and connection that can continue to grow long after students return home.
The conversation also looks toward the future. Sierra Nevada Journeys now stewards approximately 1,500 acres of Sierra Nevada land, creating an extraordinary living classroom for generations of students. The organization's recent partnership with Feather River Land Trust added 1,025 acres of permanently conserved land adjacent to its campus, expanding the possibilities for outdoor education while protecting the landscape itself.
Ultimately, the podcast tells a story about access to nature, to science, to meaningful learning experiences, and to the confidence that comes from trying something new.
Sierra Nevada Journeys' work is built on a simple but powerful idea: some of the most important learning happens when children step outside the four walls of the classroom. By giving young people the chance to explore, ask questions, and experience the natural world firsthand, Sierra Nevada Journeys is helping create a generation of more curious, confident, and connected learners.