I have gone back to summer camp this year as an environmental education extern at the Jim Halls Foothills Learning Center. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental education is, “a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment.” Although the Foothills Learning Center has a number of programs to accomplish this, my position has been focused on weeklong outdoor summer camps for children ages 6-11.

I have loved working alongside early career environmental educators in pursuit of our lofty and important mission. My coworkers are primarily college students, some of whom are AmeriCorps volunteers. It has been rewarding to trade tips and tricks from my experience as a teacher in return for their passion for stewardship and knowledge of current environmental concerns. Together we share our appreciation for the beautiful Boise foothills with our young campers, engaging them with lizards, red-tailed hawks, and sagebrush.

The Foothills Learning Center has also generously given me the time and opportunity to network at other City of Boise environmental education sites, including Project WET at the WaterShed, Project Learning Tree, Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS), and the Idaho Botanical Garden. I believe that partnerships between these organizations and the public school system are more important than ever. I look forward to staying in touch with all of the people I have met. As I return to my second-grade classroom this fall, I am inspired to engage in environmental education in my own context, tapping into the wealth of STEM education resources that these organizations represent.