“Can we go up to the vernal pools tomorrow?” My query was met with quizzical looks. This year’s group of students at Outside School, in Richmond, CA, prefers the comfort of the park at hand and flush toilets. This is despite a solid history of these walks up into the hills delivering consistently on being […]
When the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative was launched in the summer of 2020, as a joint effort between founding partners Ten Strands, the Lawrence Hall of Science, Green Schoolyards America, and San Mateo County Office of Education, it was done to disrupt the educational inequities that were exacerbated by COVID-19. Since then, the intersection […]
Earth Force is putting environmental education into action by empowering young people to make real-world changes. A virtual organization, Earth Force is expanding its reach across the country, including in California where they work with organizations like YES Nature to Neighborhoods in Richmond, CA. In this week’s article, we interviewed Earth Force President and CEO […]
When the global pandemic forced widespread shutdown in 2020, Outdoor Afro founder and CEO Rue Mapp had a simple slogan that came to define the work of her organization: “nature never closes.” Outdoor Afro connects Black families through the experiences of nature in 56 cities throughout the country, inspiring healing, leadership, and ultimately environmental learning […]
In November, five students and their teacher from Palisades High School in Calistoga came to the canyon where I live just outside of town to plant acorns under the guidance of the Napa County Resource Conservation District (Napa RCD), a local government agency that provides technical assistance and education to farmers and the general community. […]
This article is part of our Youth Voices series. At Ten Strands we believe that young people have valuable perspectives and a critical role in shaping our society and our world. We recognize their power to drive dialogue and create positive change, and are committed to providing a platform which amplifies their contributions. During the pandemic, […]
I used to begin work each day by walking down a short trail to my office at Rancho Soñado. On the way down the hill, I’d pass fields of wildflowers where I encountered rabbits, deer, lizards, songbirds, an occasional snake, and even a tarantula. As I’d settle in my office for the day, I’d wait […]
Since May 2020, the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative (NCOLI) has created dozens of free resources to support districts to center equity by returning students to school safely through the use of outdoor spaces for learning. In the spring and summer of 2021, Ten Strands, The Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, […]