Virtual Trailside Discovery Camp
Trailside Discovery Camp is The Alaska Center Education Fund’s award-winning camp program that provides a broad range of outdoor environmental education experiences for students from all economic, social, and cultural backgrounds.
For almost 40 years Trailside has been creating educational outdoor opportunities for families throughout the summer, during Spring Break and Winter Break. It has always been Trailside’s mission to give every kid the chance to be a camper and during these uncertain times, they have doubled down on this mission by providing educational activities that families can do at home. Virtual Trailside provides environmental education from the safety of your home through daily challenges, creative content, and live streams for kids of all ages. While they are actively exploring alternative models for the summer program to comply with health and safety mandates, they are using all the social distancing tools they have to keep Trailside families and campers engaged. These free talks virtual camps have given kids the chance to learn about birds and other wildlife directly from experts as well as learning artistic skills and finding new ways to appreciate and engage with the outdoors. Zoom and Facebook. They are continuing to work with partners and families to provide a safe and educational experience every Tuesday online via Zoom and Facebook as well as daily challenges via social media and their website: http://akcentereducationfund.org/trailside/ Vicki Long-Leather, the Trailside Director explains: “It is my personal hope that in seeing all of us, still working together, though not physically together that youth will see the importance in conserving our beautiful natural resources especially in times like these where some would relax regulations or turn a blind eye to practices that would harm the environment.” |