Freedom is the name of the game. Being able to be yourself, your best self. Bikes, boats, skis and skilz can help us quite a bit to do this. I’m starting a program of classes in all these things, for all ages.
We’re hosting 3 pilot events in GR this summer — and festival booth then 2 week-long day-camps for kids for Biking and for Outdoor Skills. Then we’re pitching the program to schools. They can do one of 3 things: *hire me; *contract with my program; or *make me host classes in a park.
I’m going to try to get another school around here to use its gorgeous acreage around its buildings to use their property every day in all sorts of ways like the wonderful asset that it is! (There are 2 schools doing it now.) I’ve found a few good candidates and have a nibble already. I’d like to teach lifelong outdoor fun every day in school. We need more. …Especially a school that has gorgeous property surrounding it. No field trip busses needed. We can do it all right there.
Kids love it. I helped a school do this for a few months last fall and winter. It was awesome. It was a required class yet every one of the kids ate it up. So, more of that, please! The Green Classroom and activity in fresh air, reducing everybody’s screen-time, is one of the only things the USA can all agree on, it seems. If a school wants me to I can even make every class fit standards explicitly. We can go as big as they like. The outdoors is a GREAT and REAL classroom!
Also, grown-ups ALL need this stuff, too. Maybe an afterschool program for all ages?
Also, I’m working with a nonprofit to do this called Cultivating Futures. They’re handling the biz side. Donations accepted and will go through them to 94% support our classes, the rest is to support their admin. They are already doing their own in-school programming designed to promote emotional regulation. With OYB they are adding a fresh-air outdoor component. Let’s go! Check out our landing page: http://outyourbackdoor.com/foundation
