January 2015
Happy New Year! We have lots to share with you in this issue. Most of all: Get OUTSIDE!  There are plenty of opportunities to have positive experiences in the rain! So grab your boots and rain jackets...and embrace that mud!

Gratitude Shout Out!
We are so grateful to all those who helped to make the 2014 Wreath Fundraiser a huge success. We exceeded our goal and raised $14,000! Woohoo! This means more kids connecting to nature!

We had 71 volunteers (we thank each and every one on our website). Our VIP all-star volunteer was once again Keturah Pennington who put in 71 hours. She decorated 100 wreaths bringing in $2,950! This was her 25th year volunteering. Other all-stars who put in 9 to 16 hours were Sue Thomas, Maude Haney, Priya Hijari, Eddie Ono and Merlin Arbor.

If you are interested in volunteering during the 2015 fundraiser let us know and we can put you on the list now - you'll get an email reminder in November.

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Branching Out - Discoveries all around!
by Erin P Flanagan

Last fall, we partnered with our friends at The Forest Park Conservancy (FPC) to create a series of field trips for 54 third graders at Boise-Eliot/Humboldt school in North Portland! Thanks to a generous grant from the Timbers (RCTID!), I joined Lucy Cohan of the FPC, in creating programming for two classroom sessions and one field session. We worked with teachers to make sure the curriculum was relevant to what the students were learning and to Oregon science education standards, including skills like observation, building and using models, and recognizing patterns. 

The real joy came when the students arrived in Forest Park at the Linnton trailhead. For the majority of the students, it was their first time in the park, and the excitement was palpable! Students braved steep and muddy trails in order to play games, learn about trees and ivy, and identify and observe native plants.

Before the field trip, only 4% of students could name why English Ivy is harmful, and after, 72% could name why. Similarly, only 3% of students could name a plant commonly found in Forest Park beforehand, but afterward 86% could name one plant, and 15 students could name three. We asked students to brainstorm words that described their experience with us, and they came up with adjectives like: interesting, tired, happy, chill, scary, awesome, quiet, and adventurous. We look forward to continuing this partnership in the spring and in years to come--here's to inspiring and educating the next generation of Portland's environmental stewards!

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Lil Nature Kids
Know any kids ages 3-6? Winter classes begin the week of February 23 - check out the schedule. Nature Recess After-school classes begin in March for children ages 5-11. We hope to see you soon!

AND GUESS WHAT?! Thanks to our fundraising efforts, prices have been reduced by 17%! Additional scholarship funds are available for families in need - please inquire.

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Now Recruiting 10th Graders for GRUNT!

GRUNT is a volunteer naturalist and job skills program that leads to paid work and long-term career counselling. Our goal is to diversify the environmental field by getting urban teens interested in nature, and providing the job skills and work experiences they will need to be successful. We begin with a volunteer naturalist training program, then build on skills and knowledge with paid summer work and school-year internships. Successful completion of this fun, free training leads to paid summer work with Nature Day Camp or the Youth Conservation Crew, as well as ongoing access to opportunities for environmental enjoyment, employment, resources and internships.   

Application for the 2015 program is due February 28 at 5pm.

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Teen Environmental Adventures (for ages 11-17)
It's never to early to think about SPRING BREAK! We've got FIVE action packed days planned - all we need is YOU!

"This is better than lying on the couch. I feel so alive now!"
                                                  ~ 2014 participant

March 23 - 27 ... Registration is now open!