LEARNING BY ENCOURAGING TODAY’S STUDENTS TO GO OUTDOORS

A No Child Left Inside collaboration between Massachusetts Audubon Society /Broad Meadow Brook and the WorcesterPublic Schools

LET’S GO! is an outdoor activity program for students at Worcester East Middle School. It began in September 2010 with these three goals:• Physical Activity• Environmental

Awareness• Science Education

At WEMS, all trips are optional, and take place during non-school hours.

• Includes afterschool, evenings, weekends, and vacations

Transportation to outdoor sites in and outside of the city of Worcester is provided in an 11-passenger van, owned by Broad Meadow Brook

Trips include:Hiking, Biking, Canoeing and Snowshoeing

Worcester East Middle School, 2010-11

• 593 students, grades 7 and 8• 90% Low Income• 73% minority• 28% Limited English Proficient

• Urban location

Initial participation Goals for Let’s GO! 2010-11

• 20% of all WEMS students will participate in at least one outdoor activity trip

• 5% of all WEMS students will participate in four or more outdoor activity trips

Let’s GO! by the numbers,Sept. 23 through June 16

• 106 Trips

• 219 individual WEMS students have participated in at least one trip

(36.9% of entire student body)

• Students are indeed going on multiple trips: 144 went on 2 or more outings 109 went on 3 or more 77 went on 4 or more (13.0%)

Revised Student Participation WEMS 2010-2011

At least 1 trip 4 or more trips0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Initial Goal

Actual

.)

Healthy snacks are served each trip (water, fresh fruit, and unsalted trail mix)

Physical activity ranges from strolls along gentle terrain, to

challenging mountain climbs

Hiking trips go out rain or shine, snow or ice, and sometmes at

night

All necessary gear provided

Hiking always includes time to explore

Average length of trip: 3 hours

Triumph!

Fun!

Biking and canoeing are popular, too

Most bike rides cover about ten miles on the Rail Trail in Rutland.

LET’S GO! familiarizes students with the outdoors in their own city: 33% of trips are to

green spaces within Worcester

Cascading Waters, Olean Street

Perkins Farm, behind Stop and Shop

Broad Meadow Brook,Dunkirk Ave entrance

East Side Trail, Cristoforo Colombo Park

Most canoe trips are at Green Hill Park in Worcester

These trips also include a short hike on the East Side Trail inside the park, and a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Fascination with fauna helps fuel the wonder of the woods themselves: tracks in the snow or mud; hawks in the air; butterflies alighting; nests high in the trees; snakes in the grass; salamanders under rocks. The kids are getting very adept at spotting.

The science is everywhere we look, in everything that catches a student’s eye(or nose). Nature is where science happens.

3,130 total student miles!