Everyone remembers the childhood field trips and camps that took them into nature and allowed them to explore the world around them. But what if you grow up in a place where you are constantly surrounded by pristine landscapes and wilderness? Do you still need school programs that help you to appreciate and understand nature? Or is that ingrained in your mind from the day you were born? For this blog I wanted to explore the accessibility of outdoor engagement opportunities for kids in the Adirondacks. The region, like many rural areas, has a variety of summer opportunities that are designed to keep kids busy when school’s out, but what separates the Adirondacks is the outdoor engagement programs that are available within the curriculum of many public and private schools. 

The summer opportunities within the park are great, but programs like the Marie L. Haberl School Outreach Program forces kids to get the exposure they need without wasting any summer time and at no cost. The Haberl program is run by the Adirondack Mountain Club and is used by thirteen different schools in the Adirondacks. Schools participating in the program include the Keene Central School, Lake Placid School, and Long Lake Central School, which all have vast trails and mountains around them to explore. (Newell, 2020) Adirondack Mountain Club educators work both within the classroom and in the outdoors with 4th graders. The learning goals that the educators have line up with the science curriculum of New York State, and help students to learn material on the state science exam. (Newell, 2020) I think that this program is so impactful on nine to ten year olds because it is accessible to all, and because it is weaved into their science class. It requires no extra effort by parents and balances classroom learning and nature exploration.

The Northwood School offers a special opportunity for students to learn by putting an emphasis on outdoor learning, community engagement, and outdoor recreation. The Northwood School is a private boarding school right on Lake Placid. The school is not quite as accessible as the Haberl program, but for those with the resources, it offers high schooler kids a chance to get outdoors with a purpose. The school holds a mountain day every year (in which all students hike different peaks in the area) and offers a variety of classes on outdoor recreation and conservation that utilize the area for learning. (Northwood School, 2021)

Technology today makes it easier than ever for kids to spend their time indoors, on a screen, instead of outside–even if they live in the Adirondack Park. However, with active efforts by outdoor educators, especially in younger grades, kids will get excited to utilize their new knowledge and show it off to others. After researching this topic, it is apparent that efforts are made in the Adirondack Park to teach kids about the natural world, but it also led me to believe that the majority of the state lacks this aspect of education. If Adirondack schools have to make an extra effort to teach their students about the outdoors, are the kids outside the blue line missing out?

Literature Cited

Adirondack Mountain Club. (2020). Three Seasons At Heart Lake. https://www.adk.org/explore-adk/three-seasons-at-heart-lake/

Northwood School. (2021). Outdoor Recreation. https://www.northwoodschool.org/campus-life/outdoor-recreation