Vida Verde Nature Education
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : p***a@v*********n.o*g
Mission Statement
Vida Verde Nature Education (Vida Verde) promotes educational equity by providing free, overnight, environmental learning experiences for students who don’t otherwise get the opportunity.
About This Cause
Vida Verde Nature Education’s mission is to promote educational equity by providing free, overnight environmental learning experiences for students who don’t otherwise get the opportunity. Since 2001, Vida Verde has served over 15,000 Bay Area students and their teachers. Each school year, 750 4th-6th graders take part in our free programs. 99% of students served are youth of color, over 85% qualify for free/reduced-price lunch programs, and none of them would otherwise get the chance to participate in overnight outdoor education programs. Many of VV’s students have never spent time away from home or been camping, and come with fears and specific needs that must be met before higher level learning can be successful. Our experience working solely with underrepresented youth and under-resourced schools makes us unique in the Bay Area, and has enabled us to develop a program structure and educational philosophy that meets their unique needs, and thus maximizes their success. Each class trip is an activity-packed experience, which takes place at our 100-acre site and farm, and at state parks and beaches along the San Mateo County coastline. The class trip centers on five core components: (1) Nature Hike in the Redwoods, (2) Goat Milking & Cheese Making, (3) Tide pool, Beach & Marsh Exploration, (4) Night-time Hike & Trust Walk, and (5) Organic Farm Tour & Taste. The trip also includes cooking and cleaning up as a class, teambuilding games, a campfire, camping out in our magnificent teepees, and more. Vida Verde has a proven track record of achieving remarkable results with historically marginalized students through our high-quality, mission-driven outdoor education programs, coupled with strong organizational effectiveness and smart financial planning. Outcomes based on evaluations over the last four years are as follows: 89% reported a marked improvement (highest possible rating) in students’ classroom learning and science test scores; 96% reported a marked improvement in students’ teamwork, self-confidence and personal responsibility; 87% reported a marked improvement in students’ awareness of and interest in environmental issues. Additionally, 94% rated the overall benefit to students “exceptional.” We hire experienced outdoor instructors, and provide weekly 4-hour workshops designed to reflect immediately on lessons learned from the prior week and then to develop further expertise. Instructors are challenged to consistently view our work through a lens of excellence and cultural relevancy, and as ‘best practices’ are developed, they are integrated into our program model in real time to be used week-after-week and year-after-year.