Premier K-12th Grade Outdoor Education Program Expands Training on Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Education

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats Premier Outdoor Education Program, WOLF School, Leads the Way into its 30th Year of Environmental Education.

APTOS, CALIF. (PRWEB) NOVEMBER 28, 2019

WOLF School is celebrating 30 years of leading Outdoor Science School programs for students and their teachers with a renewed focus on Leadership. WOLF School, formally known as the United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) Web of Life Field (WOLF) School, is a residential outdoor environmental education school serving K-12th grade. Both teachers and students engage in WOLF’s dynamic programs at our outdoor classrooms in the redwoods, and across California at UCCR managed camp, conference and retreat facilities. 

This school year, WOLF School educators are focusing on leadership and professional development in order to increase their knowledge of scientific concepts taught during WOLF programs, and to learn how to better create equitable access for all. “We are making it a priority to learn best practices for creating positive social learning opportunities for our students.” says WOLF School Director Heather Butler. WOLF’s staff continue to pursue a variety of trainings and incorporate these seeds of leadership into their teaching and program to benefit all who attend WOLF. This school year: 

  • WOLF School Associate Director Desiree Gant currently participates in an 8 month Inside Education Program sponsored by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education that will result in her being able to help WOLF educators better understand the different schools and students that WOLF serves. 

  • WOLF Educator Halli Boman recently attended Project Aquatic Wild, a nationally-recognized workshop focused on planning and delivery of hands-on activities on aquatic species and habitats and will present a workshop based on these activities for fellow educators in January.  

  • WOLF Lead Naturalist, Tyler Feld, attended the 2019 LGBTQ Outdoor Summit in October where he learned methods to improve equity and representation of the LGBTQ community in outdoor settings. Tyler brought his new knowledge to WOLF’s November staff training and shared new ways to help make WOLF School more welcoming to LGBTQ students, staff, and teachers. 

  • WOLF School Staff also attended events on Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice in Education, and Marine Biology and Sustainability. Butler also attended a California State Parks Foundation “Pathways to Parks” Conference that addresses ways to help California’s youth increase their health and get access to parks and the outdoors. 

WOLF School staff meet monthly to share their experiences at their leadership workshops and work together to improve the program, teaching practices, and the WOLF School community. WOLF School’s goal is to help children enjoy and engage with science and the outdoors through hands-on activities. WOLF School’s Mission is to build respect, appreciation and stewardship within the web of life. WOLF School is a program of UCCR, a nonprofit facility, program, and management organization. 

For information or to attend one of WOLF Schools programs in STEM/science, history, or teambuilding, contact us at WOLFSchool.org. For information about UCCR please visit UCCR.org

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) Recoginizes Grandparent Camps Encourage Adults and Children to Spend Time Together in Nature

With a growing number of programs offered around the country for Grandparents and Grandchildren, organized camps are seeing more young and old spending time together.

PETALUMA, CALIF. (PRWEB) JULY 31, 2019

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) encourages and supports innovative programs to get adults and children to spend time together in nature. With a growing number of programs offered around the country for Grandparents and Grandchildren, organized camps are seeing more young and old spending time together. 

These programs offer a variety of programs with different types of activities planned. Many camps and retreats can be found through local churches and regional denominations. With connectivity in this digital age, many who lived prior to the internet are seeing the need to get kids disconnected from their screens to spend time just being together with each other in a natural setting. 

Some programs offer a spiritual component while others focus on traditional camp and outdoor activities. Many programs offered around the United States last two to three days and may include visiting neighboring attractions. 

UCCR is an active member of the American Camp Association (ACA). ACA also promotes Grand Camp as a great option for families. ACA offers a great list of helpful to Grandparents planning on attending camp with their grandkids. "As baby boomers reach retirement age,the need for these kinds of opportunities for families is increasing. It is estimated that there will be be 70 million Americans in the elderly age group by the year 2030," say UCCR Director of Reservations & Communications Tina Heck.

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats manages 13 facilities throughout the US, many which are available for small groups to rent all types of accommodations from simple cabins to lodges. UCCR also offers meal service or guests can rent their own kitchen to make their own meals at some facilities. 

Visit UCCR at http://www.UCCR.org

Outdoor Education Program Reaches 100,000 K-12 Grade Students Over 30 Years

Web of Life Field (WOLF) School provides programs for children to explore and discover nature at camps in Livermore, Aptos, Yosemite and Cazadero.

APTOS, CALIF. (PRWEB) JUNE 28, 2019

For 30 straight years, the Web of Life Field (WOLF) School has been teaching youth about science and nature through outdoor education programs that empower kids to return home with tools to strengthen their communities. Serving 4,000 school aged children per year, for 30 years, means WOLF outdoor education programs have reached 100,000 children.

Outdoor education and team building programs provide vital experiences for California’s students. These programs are led by professionally-trained naturalists at stunning camps throughout California where students explore, discover, and learn through activities designed to encourage kids to develop leadership, communication skills, and cooperation. At camp, away from technological distractions, students have fun, explore the outdoors, sing songs, play active games and learn to live together in a community. This gives students the opportunity to make hands-on connections between classroom learning and the world around them in a safe and positive outdoor environment.

All WOLF School programs are in line with the California State Standards and support Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Partnering with school teachers and other organizations, WOLF School is passionate about building respect, appreciation and stewardship.

Currently WOLF School brings its outdoor education programs to Monte Toyon Camp in Aptos, Camp Cazadero in Cazadero, Camp Tuolumne Trails by Yosemite, and Camp Arroyo in Livermore. “We want to provide outdoor experiences for as many people as possible in as many locations as possible.” says Heather Butler, Director of WOLF School

WOLF School specializes in three different programs: First, the Outdoor Science School is a hands-on science education program set in the beautiful redwoods, beach, or in the Sierra pine forest. The students explore the concepts of Energy, Cycles, Change, Adaptations, Communities, Interdependence, and Diversity as they engage directly with the redwoods, tidepools, and other outdoor areas. Secondly, Personal Awareness Community Commitment (WOLF P.A.C.C.) Team Building program focuses on the students discovering the key to successful communication, responsibility, and personal growth. Students achieve this success through unique series of team building activities that summon positive choices, cooperation, and respect. Lastly, the California Living History program takes the students on a journey through California’s history. Students learn about native peoples, our environment, the Gold Rush, and our natural resources through the eyes of immigrants, pioneers, Native Americans, and prospectors.

WOLF School also offers different seasonal camps which are available for children and families to attend and register for independently: Summer Nature Day CampBeginner and Advanced Level Backpacking Camp and Family Camp. Each camp is geared to provide a dynamic opportunity for WOLF’s School’s community to engage in the local ecology of Santa Cruz through a relaxed setting of fun and nature.

Teachers and parents can sign up to receive our WOLF School Newsletters to stay informed of upcoming programming or visit us at wolfschool.org or call (831) 684-0148. WOLF School is program provided by United Camps, Conferences & Retreats.

WOLF School Partners with Camp Arroyo to Bring Exciting Opportunities for Outdoor Environmental Education

LIVERMORE, CALIF. (PRWEB) MAY 30, 2019

Camp Arroyo, a facility of the East Bay Regional Park District, establishes new partnership with the Web of Life Field (WOLF) School and United Camps, Conferences & Retreats.

Beginning June 1, 2019, WOLF School (Web of Life Field School) will partner with Camp Arroyo to provide Bay Area students and teachers with even more excellent outdoor environmental education and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) opportunities. WOLF School, a well-known outdoor school where classroom teachers take their students to experience the wonders of Science Camp and hands-on learning, is celebrating 30 years of delivering high quality science camp programs to youth. In addition, WOLF School is beginning a new partnership with Camp Arroyo, part of the East Bay Regional Park District located in Livermore, CA. 

For the last 30 years WOLF School has provided engaging outdoor education experiences to over 4,000 K-12 students and teachers each year at overnight science camps in the California redwoods, near the beach, and in the Sierras. This new partnership will allow WOLF School to continue building Camp Arroyo's traditions as well as reaching more students to fulfill their mission of "building respect, appreciation, and stewardship within the web of life." 

“We are looking forward to working with the staff at Camp Arroyo to continue to deliver high quality programs to their students,” said WOLF School Associate Director Desiree Gant. Gant continues, "We've enjoyed working with Camp Arroyo staff in our professional organization, AEOE [California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education], and we are super excited to work with Camp Arroyo's students and teachers!" 

WOLF School believes in the transformative power of outdoor experiences and is committed to designing programs that connect youth with nature, empower individuals, and strengthen communities. Through lessons and activities that make learning fun, WOLF School gives teachers the opportunity to enhance classroom curriculum and gives students that chance to gain knowledge, awareness, and respect for their environmental, their community, and themselves. 

From visiting the garden and tasting organic vegetables, to studying aquatic invertebrates at the creek, to participating in the legendary Cresta Blanca hike and learning about California’s early peoples, there is a lot to explore, discover, and learn at WOLF School Camp Arroyo. WOLF School is looking forward to supporting classroom teachers through this new connection and making life-changing experiences at camp for students in Livermore, CA and the San Francisco East Bay Area.

To find out more about coming to WOLF School at Camp Arroyo contact Desiree Gant at (831) 684-0148 or visit wolfschool.org 

WOLF School is the outdoor environmental education program of UCCR—United Camps, Conferences & Retreats. UCCR begins management of Camp Arroyo on June 1, 2019.