CONNECTIONS
2023-2024 OUTCOMES REPORT
Connecting students to outdoor learning opportunities through community partnerships
Connections aims to support every K-6 student in Mount Baker and Blaine School Districts with 5-10 hours of outdoor instruction on school grounds, at local parks, and off-site at Silver Lake and in North Cascades National Park during the school year. A Coalition of five collaborating organizations are coming together to offer activities such as investigating stream health, tending school gardens, leading stewardship projects as well as recreation activities like rock climbing and hiking.
Serve all Mount Baker
and Blaine School District students, grades K-6
Provide locally-focused
outdoor education linked with learning standards
1,484
students served
GRADES
PURPOSE
K-1 School
gardens
GRADES
2-3 inScientific observations nature, ecosystems
Connect students to their
environment
Help rural school districts
leverage local resources and expertise
Model collaboration
for a healthy community
PARTNERS Common Threads Farm Wild Whatcom Nooksack Salmon
Enhancement Association
Camp Saturna
GRADE
4
North Cascades Institute
Salmon,
watersheds
GRADE
5
Environmental science,
watersheds, outdoor recreation
GRADE
6
Public lands, watersheds,
interdisciplinary studies
Our unique approach consolidates community resources to provide a strategic pathway so that students at each grade level build inquiry skills and engage in scientific practices during supported interactions with the local environment. The primary goals of this project are to foster environmental stewardship and joyful habits of outdoor exploration that are strongly linked to academic and socio-emotional learning.
LEARN MORE
WhatcomEnvironmentalEducation.com/ConnectionsProgram
SPECIAL THANKS
to these funders and supporters: Representative Alicia Rule Whatcom Coalition for
Environmental Education
Blaine and Mount Baker
Schools Districts