Connecting Children to Nature

Planting knowledge brings environmental awareness to schools and communities.

Inside the Outdoors along with more than 200 students and community members planted butterfly and vegetable gadrens in the shared field between Olive Street and Jefferson Elementary Schools in Anaheim.  Students from both schools will come together and share the responsibility of nurturing these gardens for years to come.  In addition, a butterfly garden and rebeautification projects were inplemented in the community play area at Arbors at Vintage Crossings.  Projects like these not only connect children to nature, they plant knowledge in entire communities by touching the lives of thousands of families.  Both projects worked to raise awareness of environmental issues such as pollution, graffiti and trash, as well as encouraging the planning of community events. 

The goal of these projects are to inspire youth to become more involved in the community and improve their neighborhoods.  "Helping care for this garden will help us improve our responsibility and will set an example to nurture our world,” said Carol C., a sixth-grader from Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.  Manny Kiesser, the Inside the Outdoors Foundation board president and a Disneyland Resort cast member, is confident that the program will encourage kids to clean up their environment and believe that “they have a powerful voice to create positive change.”

Inside the Outdoors also used funds to send Traveling Scientist programs to Olive Street Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Elementary to work with students, teaching them lessons about how to make the environment a better place. 

Both schools are interested in expanding the garden to double it's size.  Inside the Outdoors will keep the community engaged by planning additional events and improvement projects for all ages.

Links:

• Inside the Outdoors