OLYMPIA, Wash.-Recently announced grant funding will provide thousands of students in 22 counties throughout Washington, including 5 in the central and eastern part of the state, with outdoor learning experiences.
The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) announced the award of $3.7 million in grants on October 24.
The grant funding targets students who have been historically underserved in outdoor learning according to OSPI.
“With these funds, community-based organizations will partner with school districts to take learning outside for more than 20,000 Washington students,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal
The Outdoor Learning Grants program was created by the Legislature in 2022 to develop and support outdoor educational experiences for Washington’s public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade according to an OSPI press release on the funding.
“These programs provide students with opportunities to learn in meaningful and engaging ways where they can understand the unique context of their community,” said Superintendent Reykdal.
A full list of grant recipients is available through OSPI.
Local and regional counties receiving grants:
Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla Counties: $190,986 awarded to ESD 123 for Outdoor Art Expression to Build Resilience. to incorporate outdoor learning curriculum into its Early Childhood Education and Assistance Programs in southeast Washington. Through this project, more than 1,000 children ages three to five, in twelve school districts will participate in outdoor exploration and art projects during two years.Benton, Franklin Counties: $49,940 to the Washington Native Plant Society to expand the Youth Ecology Education through Restoration (YEER) program at six middle schools across the state.Kittitas County: $127,392 to the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group to expand its Careers in Conservation Summer Program, a six-week, field-based program that engages high school students in natural resources work.Walla Walla County: $24,652 to the Blue Mountain Community Foundation to offer farm field trips for 1,080 third and fourth graders.Yakima County: $48,350 to Yakima Family YMCA Camp Dudley to help support a director for its Outdoor School.
