"No Child Left Inside" Receives State Parks Grant for Youth Outdoor Education

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(NOTE: Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center press release)

VANCOUVER, Wash. - The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announces the first awarding of grants to 25 organizations and agencies around Washington as part of the No Child Left Inside program, created to get kids connected with nature.

Organizations receiving the grants include the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, a non-profit organization located on over 100 acres of urban green space just east of I-205 on the old Evergreen Hwy.

Columbia Springs is the only Southwest Washington organization recipient and was awarded $42,550.00 to target and provide outdoor and environmental education to students who are low-income or homeless. Funds will be used to provide these youth opportunities to discover everything from birds and bugs to trees and plants, create environmentally conscious construction projects, student created nature video and photography, and learn a respect for the natural world.

This will be accomplished through a partnership with Susan Finley, an education professor at Washington State University Vancouver, where she heads the master's in teaching program and oversees the At Home At School Program.

"Columbia Springs is honored to be a recipient of these new grant funds to offer our living laboratory to help undeserved kids discover the wonders of the natural world," said Gala Miller Executive Director. "Working with Susan Finley, and the AHAS Outdoors program is going to expose over 250 deserving students to scientific inquiry, art in nature, and nature journaling. This is an amazing partnership that we would not have been able to pursue without this wonderful grant award."

The 2007 Washington Legislature established the No Child Left Inside program, provided $1.5 million in funds and appointed the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to administer the program.

State Parks convened an advisory committee of 22 organizations, natural resource agencies, private businesses and outdoor education leaders to set grant criteria and help with selection. A total of 238 grant applications were received, totaling more than $8.6 million in requests.

"It is very exciting to get this program on the ground so fast and get the awards made so organizations can get started getting kids outdoors," said Rex Derr, State Parks director. "Washington is the first state in the nation to have its legislature establish and fund a No Child Left Inside grant program like this one. This puts Washington on the cutting edge of the national conversation going on right now about how essential it is that we provide a connection to nature for young people, for their own well-being and for the future health of our environment."

Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center encompasses a nature preserve, wetlands, lakes, wooded areas, and meadow habitats containing hiking trails, interpretive signs, and a restive place to escape the surrounding urban landscape. Columbia Springs provides environmental education for all ages through partner-funded programs like Master Composter/Recycler, Naturally Beautiful Backyards, Salmon in the Classroom, School Gardens and provided over 10,000 students with hands-on environmental learning last year. For more information, visit .

91³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205, or via C-Tran bus service. We offer 16 bachelor's degrees, nine master's degrees, one doctorate degree and more than 35 fields of study. Visit us on the Web at