This fall, NSEA is excited to be participating in a new program in collaboration with various school districts and community partners throughout Whatcom County. The Connections program is being facilitated in three school districts – Bellingham, Blaine, and Mount Baker. By providing childcare, meals, academic support, meaningful interaction with peers and trusted adults, and outdoor enrichment in lower-risk outdoor settings, the Connections program aims to mitigate barriers to remote learning access for students who could most benefit from this support. We envision building students’ capacity to succeed at home in a remote learning environment and facilitating deeper connections between students, families, and educators. Criteria considered to determine eligible students for this program included, but were not limited to: non-English speaking household, houseless or formerly houseless, student of a migrant family, low attendance or engagement in spring or fall remote learning, and teacher or specialist recommendation. This program, across all three districts, aims to serve over 200 K-8 students, and we are thrilled to be involved in such a meaningful, impactful program.
This program began in late October, and already, NSEA’s Education Team is making meaningful connections with students in all three locations, providing access to the outdoors and supporting academic achievement. In a year that is far from what we expected, the Connections program has allowed us to adapt our education efforts beyond the 4th grade audience and reach students we typically do not serve.
Colin Long, NSEA’s AmeriCorps Environmental Education Associate, has been teaching sixth graders every Friday at Kendall Elementary. Drawing from the knowledge they already gained through our Students for Salmon Program, the learning is extended and allows students to dive deeper into watershed education and salmon ecology. Through activities incorporating observation, critical thinking, and scientific analysis, students have been able to connect more completely with their local watershed and appreciate the importance of salmon recovery efforts. The importance of this program is already being realized by their classroom teachers, one who noted that their students are “much more positive, and I know part of it is because they’re back together again and to learn. I could see it through the camera – they looked much more engaged.”
Meanwhile, Nathan Zabel, NSEA’s Education Program Coordinator, has been teaching Kindergartners from Blaine Primary every Friday in collaboration with the Birch Bay Bible Community Church for a safe and central location. This is their first experience going to school, so he has been working with district staff, cohesively teaching students how to succeed in various academic and social environments. By incorporating weekly themed activities like puppet shows, songs, stories, and outdoor exploration, students are learning about and discovering their natural surroundings, and fostering an appreciation for the environment at an early learner age.
Nathan and Colin have been teaming up to teach second through fifth graders every Thursday for Bellingham school district students. Some of these students are familiar with NSEA and have already completed our Students for Salmon Program, while others are meeting us for the first time. Through activities involving games, drawing, and observation, students are able to connect with their local environments and understand how their actions make a difference.
In a time of social distancing and remote learning, the Connections program has been an incredible highlight. While adhering to strict safety protocols, we are able to connect in-person with youth to mitigate barriers for students who benefit the most from this support.
For more information about this program, please contact Nathan Zabel at nzabel@n-sea.org or call 360-312-3094.
Listen or read the NPR story by Ashely Gross from knkx news : Some kids have been learning outdoors for months in Whatcom County, not in Seattle