Author: Martha Dehnow

Exploring New Horizons is an outdoor education program that was founded as a nonprofit in 1979. Its mission is to empower students, build environmental literacy, and strengthen school communities through residential and environmental education. Each year, Exploring New Horizons’ experienced naturalists serve 7,000 students throughout the greater San Francisco and Monterey Bay area in their outdoor education programs that are aligned with NGSS and Common Core standards. Their goal is to provide high-quality and affordable programs to create positive associations between learning and the outdoors. 

Currently, Exploring New Horizons is offering outdoor school programs for students in Santa Cruz County, as well as a virtual science camp to accommodate current mandates. We recently spoke with Jacob Sackin, Executive Director of Exploring New Horizons, and he provided some insight on the importance of outdoor education programs, noting “In CA less than 10% of 4-6th grade students attend outdoor school.” Through experience and research, Jacob has highlighted the benefits when students participate in 3 to 5-day residential outdoor education programs, including: 

• • Increased motivation to learn and achievement in school
• • Greater self-esteem, respect, and conflict resolution skills
• • Less stress, depression, and symptoms of ADD

Exploring New Horizons takes a “Whole Child Approach” with the creation of their programs, focusing on environmental stewardship, social-emotional learning, and the arts. They offer two program types: 

• • A larger program that engages entire 5-6^th grade classrooms and teachers in a 4–5-day overnight program in Pescadero/Scotts Valley allows students to explore the redwoods, go tide pooling, take night hikes, and sing songs about decomposition. 
• • A smaller program 1 to 3-day program that engages 20-40 3^rd– 8^th graders at Pigeon Point Lighthouse where students learn about northern elephant seals, look for whales, cook meals each day, and more! 

At the core of Exploring New Horizon’s mission is environmental literacy, and Jacob believes that environmental literacy starts with equity of access to environmental education programs. If environmental education and literacy programs were implemented at the state level, funding could be more easily accessible for students across California. Students that were offered free preschool and outdoor learning programs throughout the years could better understand their connection to the world and the ecosystems around them. 

“Environmental Literacy involves building on environmental education experiences before and after attending an outdoor school program.” 

As noted by Jacob in a survey conducted by Exploring New Horizons in the last 5 years, 96% of 700 participating classroom teachers agreed that after participating in an outdoor education program, students:  

• • Expressed more self-esteem 
• • Strengthened relationships with peers and their teachers
• • Felt more connected to the environment and comfortable being outside 
• • Better understand the ecosystems of coastal California and their role as environmental stewards 

Overall, teachers mentioned that they noticed more respect and appreciation for the environment, stronger community, and cooperation, more independence, sense of responsibility, confidence, and self-esteem from student participants. 

Exploring New Horizons and many other nonprofit organizations rely on the support of their community to provide high-quality and affordable educational programs. Through the support of local schools, individual donors, and grant-funding, Exploring New Horizons works hard to curate a wide breadth of outdoor educational programs and help provide scholarships for schools with students who are eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Meals.  

During this past year, Exploring New Horizons has had to reduce the number of programs offered due to the pandemic and lack of support for outdoor education. ENH has taken the time to prepare lessons and programs that are educational and safe for children to participate in outdoor/open-air spaces and hopes to continue doing so as we look forward to the year ahead.  

If you are a teacher, parent, or guardian looking to get involved with an outdoor education program like Exploring New Horizons, visit the CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub and find partners and programs near you: CAELI Community Based Partner Hub

Philanthropic support is also a great way to get involved with nonprofits like ENH, so if you are an individual donor or a local foundation or corporation interested in funding opportunities, please visit: Support Exploring New Horizons!

Exploring New Horizons is an organizational member of the California Association of Environmental & Outdoor Education (AEOE). AEOE is a network of dedicated individuals and organizations in California that are committed to using environmental and outdoor education as a tool to create lasting environmental change. Their mission is “to advance the impact of environmental and outdoor education in California.” AEOE, led by Estrella Risinger, has 3 core goals: 1) Convene program providers to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive network of skilled practitioners. 2) Provide learning opportunities that are aligned with best practices and content relevant to the field 3) Promote high-quality environmental education and advocate for all young people to experience meaningful learning opportunities outdoors. 

Become an AEOE organizational member and get access to resources, conferences, and events! 

AEOE is the California affiliate for the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE).

Relevant Links: 

Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education | California AEOE 

As the professional association for environmental and outdoor education in California, AEOE provides programs and practitioners with the tools, resources, and expertise to ensure that future generations are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and experiences necessary to develop lifelong connections to the natural world and the commitment to sustain it. 

California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)

CAELI, led by Ten Strands, works statewide with guidance from a leadership council to create systems change in support of environmental literacy with a focus on access, equity, and cultural relevance for all students.

Environmental Education Equity | Exploring New Horizons 

Exploring New Horizons seeks support to serve more lower-income schools, to continue providing affordable rates and scholarships to participating schools, and to provide professional learning for our staff on equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive pedagogy. 

Loma Mar Program | Exploring New Horizons 

Exploring New Horizons Outdoor Schools at Loma Mar takes a hands-on, experiential approach to science education, and focuses on adventure, self-discovery, and environmental stewardship. Located in the Pescadero Creek watershed near Memorial and Pescadero Creek County Parks, students learn about how they are connected to the natural world while exploring the Oak and Redwood Forest. Each evening activity finishes with songs and stories around the campfire. 

Pigeon Point Program | Exploring New Horizons 

Exploring New Horizons Outdoor Schools at Pigeon Point is based at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse State Historic Park with accommodations provided by Hostelling International. Pigeon Point is located on the Pacific Ocean, 50 miles south of San Francisco, and 20 miles north of Santa Cruz. The Pigeon Point program offers a unique opportunity for students to learn more about themselves as well as the natural world that surrounds them. 

Sempervirens Program | Exploring New Horizons 

Exploring New Horizons Outdoor Schools at Sempervirens takes a hands-on, experiential approach to science education, and focuses on adventure, self-discovery, and environmental stewardship. Students explore the coastal ecosystems, the Oak, Madrone, and Redwood Forest, and each evening activity finishes with songs and stories around the campfire. 

Ten Strands 

Ten Strands weaves stakeholders and strategies together into strong, focused education partnerships, with the goal of raising environmental literacy by providing high-quality environment-based learning and hands-on education to all California K–12 students. Ten Strands acts as an incubator and a catalyst to create collaborations, build capacity, and transform systems to increase their impact and sustainability.

President Biden promised that his administration would take an aggressive role in combating climate change. Although still early in his presidency, there is evidence to suggest that it will be at the forefront of this administration’s agenda. He has committed to rejoining the Paris Agreement and is reviewing the standards protecting communities, water sources, and air quality. The Biden Administration has set a goal to have a net-zero emission economy by 2050. But the question is: How do we get there?

The Executive Order to combat climate change includes the following bold claims:

• The United States government will exercise its leadership to make climate considerations an essential element of U.S. foreign policy and national security

• Both significant short-term global emission reductions and net-zero global emissions by mid-century – or before – are required to avoid setting the world on a dangerous, potentially catastrophic, climate trajectory. 

• Commit to conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and oceans by 2030 and launches a process for stakeholder engagement from agricultural and forest landowners, fishermen, Tribes, States, Territories, local officials, and others to identify strategies that will result in broad participation.

• Formalize a commitment to make environmental justice a part of the mission of every agency by directing federal agencies to develop programs, policies, and activities to address the disproportionate health, environmental, economic, and climate impacts on disadvantaged communities.

• Build a stronger, more resilient nation.

(Source: WhiteHouse.Gov)

While this order certainly advances the US’ climate agenda it does not incorporate or account for an education plan that focuses on climate change and how to prepare students with 21st-century skills that will enable them to make informed decisions and be capable of participating in a rapidly evolving world. If we want to create a more resilient nation, there is a need to prepare and educate our citizens from a young age about the causes and effects of climate change and their role in combating it. Creating a cross-sector agenda that includes the Department of Education is at the center of this action plan, and many organizations are reaching out to the Biden Administration to encourage them to take action.

President Biden has budgeted $102.8 billion for education in his $1.5 Trillion Budget Request, which can be used towards environmental literacy tools for students. With this budget, we would see an increase of 40.8% in education spending. (NPR.org) This increased budget, as well as the $14 billion increase allocated for fighting climate change, can serve students by providing funding for teachers for their basic classroom needs, while also meeting the need for resources to implement environmental literacy and justice campaigns across all grade levels.

Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), wrote a letter to the Biden Administration encouraging them to establish a joint federal and civil society effort based on their strategic framework (ACE Strategic Framework). ACE has created its national planning framework with the support of a broad coalition of partners with the goal of preparing the United States to enter the Paris Agreement. The need for a community-focused approach to climate action is the main foundation of the ACE framework.

If the Biden Administration were to utilize the community-focused approach of the ACE framework and incorporate the Department of Education into their climate change plan, we can begin to work on tackling climate change from the ground up. Without support from the Department of Education, teachers are left to their own devices, which often include limited support and resources to create a curriculum that supports climate action. As noted by author Christina Kwauk,

 “86% of teachers think climate change should be taught in classrooms, yet only 42% actually teach it.”

As the Biden Administration has made the call to acknowledge and support environmental justice throughout the nation, it is also important to recognize the connection between environmental justice and environmental literacy. In order to create a generation prepared to fight climate change, they need to have a fundamental understanding of not only the global repercussions of climate change but also the effects that climate change has on the communities they reside in. We recently spoke to youth activist Isha Clarke who mirrored this sentiment, mentioning that using the environment as a multi-disciplinary lens to highlight and provide context around injustices facing students’ communities will reach students and inspire action.

At Green Guardians, our motto is “environmental literacy, community action”, which directly correlates with the community-focused approach to environmental education. Our goal is to provide educators and their students with the tools and connections needed to create an education system with environmental literacy as the foundation across all subjects and grade levels.

Are you looking to join us as we champion for a sustainable and equitable future for all?

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Relevant Links

ACE National Strategy Framework for the United States

Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) —climate education, training, public awareness, public participation, access to information, and international cooperation—  as embedded in the UNFCCC Article 6 and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement, can accelerate climate action and advance people-centered climate policies through increasing public awareness, building local capability, enhancing information sharing, encouraging innovation and beneficial behavioral norms, and promoting ongoing engagement.

Biden Proposes $1.5 Trillion Federal Spending Plan | NPR.org

The Biden administration on Friday unveiled a $1.5 trillion partial budget request for the next fiscal year, calling for increases across a range of domestic programs aimed at fighting poverty and climate change while keeping defense spending relatively flat.

Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

The United States and the world face a profound climate crisis.  We have a narrow moment to pursue action at home and abroad in order to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of that crisis and to seize the opportunity that tackling climate change presents.  Domestic action must go hand in hand with United States international leadership, aimed at significantly enhancing global action. 

K12 Climate Action 

Their mission is to unlock the power of the education sector to be a force toward climate action, solutions, and environmental justice to help prepare children and youth to advance a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable society.

Letter to Biden-Harris Administration | ACE Framework

ACE Framework writes in support of Article 12 of the Paris Agreement: Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), which seeks to inform, engage, and empower the public to join in finding and implementing solutions to the climate crisis. 

The White House: Fact Sheet

President Biden Takes Executive Actions to Tackle the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, Create Jobs, and Restore Scientific Integrity Across Federal Government.