Achievement through Adventure: The McClintock Outdoor Club

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

The McClintock Middle School Outdoor Club (MOC) is a collaborative effort between Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools to provide a targeted group of middle school students an immersive experience in outdoor adventure recreation and nature education. Club members are selected by school administrators and they maintain their membership through full participation and successful academic performance. The club meets with staff from the Park and Recreation’s Division of Nature Preserves and Natural Resources twice a week for the entire school year. Over the past two years, students have participated in teambuilding, environmental education, and outdoor recreation programming designed to supplement science and math curriculums and assist in breaking down social barriers. They have transformed their campus by designing and building native plant gardens and an outdoor classroom, MOC Point. Further, the students earned the opportunity to take monthly field trips to area parks and preserves where they participated in conservation projects impacting the local ecosystem. With the guidance of professionals and the power of personal commitment students in the Club have demonstrated increased confidence, improved performance, and enhanced environmental stewardship.