The Environmental Leadership Program is a multifaceted opportunity for college undergraduate and graduate students to learn more about environmental issues in the world today, from irrigation to wetlands to education, and create projects that address these issues. Students gain leadership, organization, communication, presentation, problem solving, adaptability, and research skills. Working with community partners, students gain hands-on experience in the field and professional guidance. Whether it is outreach or education, these projects directly address community issues and create strong partnerships that have lasted years.
The Restoring Connections Team 2016 |
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From the left: Rachel Rechtman, Katie Lynch, Kassandra Hishida, Phoebe Lett, Kiley Graham, Meagan Hamilton, Lillian Thomas, Miranda Taylor-Weiss, and Quinn Haaga.
Restoring Connections is a branch of the Environmental Leadership Program at the University of Oregon. By creating and implementing a place-based, experiential environmental education curriculum, our goal is to combat the effects of nature deficit disorder by getting students outside and engaged in the natural world.
Nature deficit disorder, the phrase created by Richard Louv, is the result of spending too much time inside and not connecting with the natural world. By getting students out of the classroom and into their surrounding environment, we are bridging the gap and allowing for new connections to be made.
My role as a member of Restoring Connections varied but was ultimately to be an adaptive and supportive co-leader. When creating curriculum, a partner and I were responsible for writing the first grade winter lessons, which included a classroom and field trip. In the spring when it was time to implement our curriculum, I co-lead both half day and all day field trips with kindergarteners and first graders. In this internship, each team member is equal.
Nature deficit disorder, the phrase created by Richard Louv, is the result of spending too much time inside and not connecting with the natural world. By getting students out of the classroom and into their surrounding environment, we are bridging the gap and allowing for new connections to be made.
My role as a member of Restoring Connections varied but was ultimately to be an adaptive and supportive co-leader. When creating curriculum, a partner and I were responsible for writing the first grade winter lessons, which included a classroom and field trip. In the spring when it was time to implement our curriculum, I co-lead both half day and all day field trips with kindergarteners and first graders. In this internship, each team member is equal.