Help 75 Students Become Earth Keepers

Thanks to your support each year, we have been fortunate to have many of our Earth Keepers return for several sessions of our program. Even better, there are several that have continued since we first started in 2013. It has been an honor to help them grow and to be able to see them blossom! We would like to share how we have watched one of those students, Gretchen, mature into a leader and what the program means to her.

Gretchen began our program in the spring of 2013 as a kid that was a bit timid going into the woods and sometimes challenged communicating with her peers, to one that is now a leader in the class. When we would go into the woods, she was curious but wanted to stay on established paths, thought nature lessons were fun some of the time, and explored nature from a safe distance. She was afraid to be outside by herself, and didn't know wether or not people and nature were connected.  By the end of her first year, she felt less fear being outside alone, and felt nature lessons were always fun. Fast forward to today, and she feels safe being outside by herself, gets dirty, and loves to explore flora and fauna. Adam, one of her teachers, said, "Gretchen has taken it upon herself to be a leader amongst the group. She calls herself a helper, and I think she's doing a great job!"

On the weekends, Gretchen doesn't get the chance to explore the outdoors because she does not have a place at home where she can go into the woods, and "everyone at home is so busy that I can't go outside as I would like to".  She said, "I love coming to Earth Keepers because I get to go outside where I can always be free and have fun." She constantly asks to be given nature challenges. These are challenges we give the students to hone their awareness and naturalist skills, like identifying a plant or animal they find, or following tracks. She absolutely loves to delve into the field guides and learn more about whatever flora or fauna has captured her interest. She told Crystal, another one of her teachers, that the first field guide she would like to have as her own would be one on birds. Crystal said," I love that kid. She is always so eager to learn and wants harder challenges to continue to grow."

 Because of your donations, we are able to continue bringing the EarthKeepers program Gretchen loves to her school, providing a place that brings magic to her and her classmates. Thank you for your belief in the value of our program and helping us help kids connect to nature and blossom!

Links:

• Piedmont Wildlife Center Afterschool program