Garbage and recycling › Resources for schools › Outdoor school
Find out how Metro is working to educate and empower students to make sustainable choices through learning in the natural environment of outdoor immersion programs.
Toward a sustainable regionSustainability is one of the most urgent issues facing the region today, raising the need to educate and engage young people – the decision-makers of tomorrow – in protecting the health of our environment.
In 2008, the Metro Council voted to fund waste reduction education at outdoor immersion programs, paid through an increase in the regional solid waste tipping fee. Since spring 2009, Metro has been contracting with approved outdoor immersion program providers to provide a day (6.5 hours) of waste reduction education for sixth grade students at outdoor school. Providers meet waste reduction education objectives by using curriculum and activities selected for outdoor immersion programs by education staff from Metro, outdoor school programs and sixth grade teachers throughout the region.
In the past two years, providers have been successfully integrating waste reduction activities throughout the outdoor school day into four different outdoor school programs, reaching more than 23,300 students. The program has received high praise from teachers and evaluation results show that as a result of their participation, students gain knowledge about waste reduction concepts and demonstrate a willingness to adopt waste prevention behaviors at home and at school.
One of Metro's primary goals is to promote sustainability in our region, including protecting and restoring the environment through waste reduction. Although residents of the metro region are recycling more, the total amount of waste discarded has continued to rise, highlighting the need to educate residents so they can make informed choices that affect the environment.
Research shows that outdoor science education programs offer students opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in ways that add value to their everyday experiences, showing direct cause and effect of their actions, as well as having a positive effect on their long-term memory retention because of the memorable nature of the setting. Enhancing the waste reduction education these students receive in an on-site, hands-on environment strengthens the lessons being taught, helping to increase behaviors related to environmental sustainability.
Unfortunately not all schools participate in outdoor school programs because of funding concerns. Providing funding for one full day of education at outdoor school will financially assist school districts to participate and/or encourage them to expand their participation from a three- or four-day program to a full six-day program. In addition, waste reduction education based on a standard curriculum will be taught to sixth grade students throughout the region, inspiring a future generation to protect the environment.
Metro will reimburse approved outdoor school providers for 6.5 hours of waste reduction education for students from eligible schools. The reimbursement amount for fall 2011 is set at $58 per student. Outdoor school providers will credit schools or school districts the reimbursement amount of $58 per eligible student.
Participation in the reimbursement program is limited to public and private schools that are located inside the Metro boundary and/or have paid into the Metro Regional System Fee or are part of a school district where the majority of its schools are located within the Metro boundary. The following public school districts are eligible for reimbursement when participating in the waste reduction education at outdoor immersion programs:
Private schools and home-schoolers can see if they are in the Metro boundary by using the "Who is my Councilor?" tool on the Metro website.Go
In addition, schools must meet the following requirements:
Approved outdoor school providers for spring 2012 will be determined in December 2011.
Freda Sherburne
503-797-1522
freda.sherburne@oregonmetro.gov
To view PDF files, download free Adobe Reader. To translate PDF files into text to assist visually-impaired users, visit Access.Adobe.com.
To view MOV files, download free QuickTime.
On a rainy Thursday in May, three sixth graders from River Grove Elementary School formed a semi-circle under a covered porch and watched as a student carefully squeezed drops of pH testing solution into a small beaker of pond water. Read more
