Source - Spectrum News 1
The Orange County Department of Education's innovative Inside the Outdoors program is providing students with hands-on environmental education in the great outdoors. For an impressive five decades, this acclaimed program has been connecting kids across Orange County with the wonders of nature, teaching them about the environment through fun, engaging experiences that bring classroom lessons to life. By blending traditional instruction with immersive outdoor activities, Inside the Outdoors helps students develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the natural world around them.
As part of the broader California Environmental Literacy Initiative, the program aims to ensure all students in the state, from preschool through high school, have access to meaningful environmental education. On a recent outing to the picturesque Santiago Oaks Regional Park, wide-eyed third graders got an up-close look at the survival adaptations of local flora and fauna under the guidance of seasoned naturalist Teresa Garcia, herself an alumna of the program. The kids were thrilled to actually touch and interact with the coastal live oak, darkling beetle, and California king snake, with one enthusiastic student, Oliver Anderson, exclaiming "Oh, that actually feels so cool!" as he gently pet the beetle.
With over 120,000 participants each school year and an astounding 3.5 million students impacted over its 50-year history, Inside the Outdoors is clearly resonating, fostering the next generation of environmentally literate citizens one outdoor adventure at a time.
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