Outdoor Environmental Learning Centers

2017 NACo Achievement Award Winner

New Hanover County, N.C., NC

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About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

New Hanover County is giving Pre-Kindergarten students a leg up on their education by creating Outdoor Environmental Learning Centers (OELCs) at schools in New Hanover County (NHC). An OELC is a designated space outside for students to learn about a variety of subjects including science, math, and language arts. OELCs consist of raised pollinator gardens with a variety of native plants, an accompanying curriculum, and a bird feeder. These learning centers are a way to innovatively engage young students in the outdoors, which will assist in instilling a love of nature and desire to be more environmentally aware as they grow and continue their education. OELCs were designed and installed at four county schools in 2016 through the New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District. They are funded by NHC for a total cost of $10,000 for four schools and they benefit approximately 620 underserved students. Teachers at the four Pre-K schools are now able to take students outdoors more frequently, which helps improve student behavior as well as grades. The OELCs tie directly into the school’s common core curriculum for students, which allows teachers the opportunity to use the OELCs throughout the year. Providing students with this opportunity helps connect students with their environment, in turn making them a more conscience steward as an adult.

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