WEBVTT - Boeing Change Champion — Megan Karch

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<v Speaker 1>All right, Well, it's great to have you one just

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<v Speaker 1>for everyone listening. Why don't we begin at the very

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<v Speaker 1>top of this with you introducing yourself. Just give us

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<v Speaker 1>your name and then maybe how long you've been doing

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<v Speaker 1>the work you've been doing with island Wood.

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<v Speaker 2>Sure, my name is Megan Courch, and I'm the CEO

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<v Speaker 2>of Islandwood, where I have been here for eight years,

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<v Speaker 2>and before that worked for an organization called fair Start

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<v Speaker 2>for eighteen in Seattle, and before that started as an

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<v Speaker 2>environmental educator in my early twenties.

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<v Speaker 3>I think the coolest part about these interviews is we

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<v Speaker 3>get to learn that there's so much more going on

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<v Speaker 3>outside of our scope that we don't even recognize. So

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<v Speaker 3>just doing a deep dive into the website and what

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<v Speaker 3>you guys provide give us an overview of the mission

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<v Speaker 3>and kind of what you guys do on a broad scale.

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<v Speaker 2>Sure well, island Wood is founded really for the purpose

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<v Speaker 2>of inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards, and really

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<v Speaker 2>it was around making sure that what we noticed over

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<v Speaker 2>twenty five years ago was that kids, especially kids in

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<v Speaker 2>underresourced families living in cities, were having less and less

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<v Speaker 2>time in nature. And the goal was to make sure

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<v Speaker 2>that these kids were provided those opportunities.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, you do everything from like overnight programs to

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<v Speaker 1>you know, urban environmental learning. Maybe give us an idea

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<v Speaker 1>of how this kind of old connects all the different programs,

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<v Speaker 1>how it all connects into one ecosystem, and how do

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<v Speaker 1>you sort of design those experiences on programs you're doing

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<v Speaker 1>intellect real world action, how does it show up like

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<v Speaker 1>in a practical sense.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, sure, Well so if we want to inspire the

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<v Speaker 2>next generation of environmental stewards, we think of it in

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<v Speaker 2>four ways. First, how are we providing intentional immersive experiences

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<v Speaker 2>for kids in nature? That's the first way, and we

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<v Speaker 2>have a number of programs that I'll talk about in

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<v Speaker 2>order to do that, but it's really providing hands on

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<v Speaker 2>experience where kids really can see, touch, and feel what

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<v Speaker 2>they're experiencing. And that's number one the strategy. And then

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<v Speaker 2>the second strategy to do this is really our educators,

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<v Speaker 2>because educators have an exponential impact, and we know that

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<v Speaker 2>they spend the most time with kids other than their parents.

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<v Speaker 2>And so if we can train our educators to use

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<v Speaker 2>nature as a learning tool and to use the outdoors,

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<v Speaker 2>we think that's critical in the learning for our kids.

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<v Speaker 2>And the third is advocacy. We work on advocacy to

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<v Speaker 2>create systemic change across the state and the nation. And

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<v Speaker 2>then four Earth is providing tools and training to the

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<v Speaker 2>field because we believe all boats rise. And so those

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<v Speaker 2>are the four major areas that we work in and

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<v Speaker 2>they all work together. In particular the experiences we are

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<v Speaker 2>providing our kids. What we think about is, yes, want

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<v Speaker 2>all kids to have experiences that are as as long

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<v Speaker 2>as as long as possible. So we're providing programs for

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<v Speaker 2>four days here on our campus. But we also realize

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<v Speaker 2>that all kids can't get to our campus, and so

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<v Speaker 2>it's important for us to go to where they live,

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<v Speaker 2>where they go to school, and where they play, and

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<v Speaker 2>so our day programs are really designed around that, closer

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<v Speaker 2>to where the kids are, making sure that for those

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<v Speaker 2>kids who can't come to our campus that we're also

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<v Speaker 2>going to them.

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<v Speaker 3>And I think, you know, with the Ray Foundation, we

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<v Speaker 3>build soccer fields in underserved communities, and I think there's

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<v Speaker 3>a very easy answer of why that's so important. You

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<v Speaker 3>guys do a ton of work in underserved communities as well.

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<v Speaker 3>Why is that a priority for you guys? You know,

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<v Speaker 3>for us it's soccer that speaks the world's language. It

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<v Speaker 3>speaks everyone. Everyone speaks the same language when they step

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<v Speaker 3>onto one of our mini pitches. Right, But being the

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<v Speaker 3>outdoors it might feel different to different students. Not a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of kids, like you said, have spent time outdoors

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<v Speaker 3>and sports. Is our vehicle being outside as yours? How

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<v Speaker 3>do you guys make that possible? Serving the underserved communities?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, well, so while we prioritize all kids, our real

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<v Speaker 2>focus is on kids from under resourced communities in particular,

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<v Speaker 2>because they're not getting that experience.

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<v Speaker 4>If we don't.

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<v Speaker 2>What we know is when we researched before we were founded,

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<v Speaker 2>when we were founded, when we researched who was able

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<v Speaker 2>to go to outdoor school. Unfortunately, what we were finding

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<v Speaker 2>was that kids who were going to outdoor school were

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<v Speaker 2>from higher resourced areas and neighborhoods because their ptas could

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<v Speaker 2>pay for it, their parents could pay for it, their

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<v Speaker 2>schools could pay for it, the school foundations could pay

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<v Speaker 2>for it. But in the under resource communities that was

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<v Speaker 2>not the case, and so those kids were not coming

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<v Speaker 2>to outdoor schools. And so that's why we've prioritized those

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<v Speaker 2>areas first. And because otherwise they're not getting that opportunity

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<v Speaker 2>at all.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. You know, none of us are like an island,

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<v Speaker 1>you know what, all tied or connected to multiple people,

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<v Speaker 1>which makes up the communities we come from. So I'm curious,

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<v Speaker 1>as you're impacting like thousands of kids each year, what

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<v Speaker 1>impacts are you seeing in the communities that they come from.

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<v Speaker 2>Right?

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe we can call it ripple effects that you're seeing

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<v Speaker 1>in the communities.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, well, you see everything from kids going back home

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<v Speaker 2>and teaching their parents what they learn, to then their

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<v Speaker 2>communities learning from them. And so we definitely consider it

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<v Speaker 2>the ripple effect. And you see it. You know, we

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<v Speaker 2>just saw a group of kids who went back to

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<v Speaker 2>their school and they started an entire program around idling

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<v Speaker 2>and pollution and how can they decrease the idling in

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<v Speaker 2>the driving parking lot?

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<v Speaker 1>Right?

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<v Speaker 2>And what happens is where you see the exponential impact

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<v Speaker 2>is kids actually see that they have agency, and they

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<v Speaker 2>see that they can make a difference, and they take

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<v Speaker 2>that agency back to their communities and then they grow

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<v Speaker 2>up with it. I mean, we see kids coming back

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<v Speaker 2>who are now and biologists. We see kids coming back

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<v Speaker 2>that are now educators. We see our graduates coming back

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<v Speaker 2>that are educators in the school system that are working

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<v Speaker 2>to actually on what I would call systemic change within

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<v Speaker 2>how our kids are learning. And if we can change

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<v Speaker 2>how our kids are learning, that to me is an

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<v Speaker 2>exponential community impact.

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<v Speaker 3>Can you real quick, just take us through a day?

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<v Speaker 3>And then I got a follow up question, take us

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<v Speaker 3>through a day at Island Wood and what that looks

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<v Speaker 3>like for the students and if the do the teachers

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<v Speaker 3>come to do parent volunteers come as well? Just a

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<v Speaker 3>brief overview of a day at island would yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, so we run both overnight programs and day programs.

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<v Speaker 2>And for the overnight programs, what happens is on a Monday,

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<v Speaker 2>they will take off on a bus, typically get on

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<v Speaker 2>a ferry, come on over to the island and are

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<v Speaker 2>greeted by our graduate students when they arrive. And when

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<v Speaker 2>they arrive come they go to our gear library first

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<v Speaker 2>and they check out gear that they'll need for the week.

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<v Speaker 2>Because our belief is there's no such thing as bad weather,

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<v Speaker 2>just bad gear. And we also believe that most of

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<v Speaker 2>the kids, we don't want them to not come because

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<v Speaker 2>they don't have the proper raincoat or the proper boots

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<v Speaker 2>or the proper pants.

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<v Speaker 4>So they'll start there and they'll check out.

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<v Speaker 2>What they need for the week, and then they'll meet

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<v Speaker 2>their grad student and their instructor and they'll plan out

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<v Speaker 2>their week, and the kids are a part of that planning.

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<v Speaker 2>The kids are a part of what their experiences are

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<v Speaker 2>going to be like. And then they'll head out on

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<v Speaker 2>the trails and they might head down to the harbor

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<v Speaker 2>and check out the crabs at the harbor, or they

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<v Speaker 2>might head to the canopy tower and check out all

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<v Speaker 2>the levels of the forestry canopy and start start thinking

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<v Speaker 2>about that. Or they might head out to Max Pond

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<v Speaker 2>and go out on one of our rafts and start

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<v Speaker 2>taking samples of the water. Or they might head over

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<v Speaker 2>to the bog and check out the eggs of the frogs.

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<v Speaker 4>That have been laid. It depends on the season, so.

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<v Speaker 2>The time always their experience is always different according to

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<v Speaker 2>the season. But they'll spend a day out in the

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<v Speaker 2>field and they'll have lunch out on the field, and

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<v Speaker 2>then they'll come on back to a great, warm, cozy

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<v Speaker 2>lodge and have a fabulous dinner that evening that's all homemade,

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<v Speaker 2>and end the day with a campfire at Friendship Circle

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<v Speaker 2>and then the next day they'll wake up and do

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<v Speaker 2>it all over again, and then they head back home

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<v Speaker 2>on Thursday afternoons.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm just thinking right now, this would be my dream

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<v Speaker 3>if they had something like that for adults. My partner

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<v Speaker 3>here might need to start at the base level and

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<v Speaker 3>just Steve needs to come over there and experience that

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<v Speaker 3>for a couple of days. It's all just the right here, Steve,

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<v Speaker 3>come on, it's.

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<v Speaker 4>All right here, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>And I will say, you know, I was just talking

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<v Speaker 2>to a who said before they came, they said, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I thought nature was going to be boring. I thought

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<v Speaker 2>it was going to be dirty, and I thought it

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<v Speaker 2>was just about leaves.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>And then they went home, and before they left they said,

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<v Speaker 2>oh my gosh, this was so exciting. This was so great.

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<v Speaker 2>I love being outdoors. I love nature. And they really

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<v Speaker 2>went home, in my mind, with a whole new view

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<v Speaker 2>and appreciation of the natural world and ultimately a little

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<v Speaker 2>bit more about themselves. And they also went home, I think,

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<v Speaker 2>with a new perspective on how to care for their planet.

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<v Speaker 2>But the biggest thing that I heard from one of

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<v Speaker 2>the students was they said, you know, when I'm in

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<v Speaker 2>the classroom, or when I'm back at school. What I

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<v Speaker 2>heard was, you know, I don't talk a lot, I

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<v Speaker 2>don't raise my hand, I don't I don't feel confident enough.

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<v Speaker 4>But here I was just out on the team's course.

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<v Speaker 2>And I was a leader, and I felt comfortable and

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<v Speaker 2>I felt that I belonged. And then the teacher later

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<v Speaker 2>on swered, you know, they went back to the classroom

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<v Speaker 2>and they have more confidence, and they did speak up,

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<v Speaker 2>and they have more agency. And I think if we frankly,

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<v Speaker 2>that's the biggest thing we're giving kids is a sense

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<v Speaker 2>of who they are in the world and a sense

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<v Speaker 2>of what the world is, and if they can go

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<v Speaker 2>back with that, I think that makes a huge difference

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<v Speaker 2>in their life moving forward.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, and I suspect that the last part

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<v Speaker 1>of the answer just gave may even answer this following

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<v Speaker 1>question I want to ask you, because you know, there's

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<v Speaker 1>many ways to measure success, Right, you can look at

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<v Speaker 1>the raw participation numbers and then maybe some of what

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<v Speaker 1>you just said as well, what the world we come from. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>you have the result on the weekend and maybe a

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<v Speaker 1>some performance of numbers and metrics, but it's many ways

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<v Speaker 1>to measure success for any individual. So I'm curious for

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<v Speaker 1>Islandwood beyond just participation numbers, which of course are important.

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<v Speaker 1>How do you measure success us for what you're doing.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, we measure it any We measure it in a

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<v Speaker 4>number of ways.

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<v Speaker 2>We really want to see increases in their overall learning

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<v Speaker 2>and their learning practices. We see increases in social emotional

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<v Speaker 2>We hear over and over from teachers that kids come

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<v Speaker 2>back more collaborative, more cooperative, greater sense of who they are,

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<v Speaker 2>stronger sense of belonging. We're really looking at those pieces

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<v Speaker 2>and we're looking, for sure for them to have a

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<v Speaker 2>greater understanding of the natural world. Because you don't care

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<v Speaker 2>for something you don't know, and what we want you

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<v Speaker 2>don't you don't. And we want them to care for

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<v Speaker 2>our natural world. We want them to care about the planet,

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<v Speaker 2>and so all of those pieces and you know, we

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<v Speaker 2>see lessing. We also see and track things like why

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<v Speaker 2>it's really the lack of the sorry, let me start

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<v Speaker 2>that over. What we see happening to kids right now

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<v Speaker 2>is they're spending more time on their screens, more time indoors.

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<v Speaker 2>And what happens with that is that you see anxiety

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<v Speaker 2>increasing and learning decreasing. Our goal at Islandwood is turning

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<v Speaker 2>screen time into curiosity. You know, it's to really switch

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<v Speaker 2>that up for them and to really give them back

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<v Speaker 2>and really decrease their anxiety less. The more they're outdoors,

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<v Speaker 2>the less anxious they are. And we hear that from

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<v Speaker 2>kids in different words. You know, we'll hear words like

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<v Speaker 2>for the first time, I felt calm. You know, I

0:12:34.080 --> 0:12:35.680
<v Speaker 2>just heard a kid talk about how they were all

0:12:35.840 --> 0:12:38.160
<v Speaker 2>freaked out because they couldn't bring their phone, they couldn't

0:12:38.160 --> 0:12:41.920
<v Speaker 2>bring a screen, they couldn't bring any technology. But I

0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:45.640
<v Speaker 2>also heard that same kid say, hey, I feel this

0:12:45.840 --> 0:12:53.480
<v Speaker 2>sense of calm, I feel this sense of you know,

0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:56.520
<v Speaker 2>they weren't using the word, you know, less anxiety, but

0:12:56.559 --> 0:13:00.880
<v Speaker 2>they were definitely describing what that feels like.

0:13:02.120 --> 0:13:04.880
<v Speaker 3>So is that a rule, no, no technology, You got

0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:06.280
<v Speaker 3>to kind of throw it in a bag before you

0:13:06.320 --> 0:13:08.880
<v Speaker 3>get there, whether it's a day trip or four nights.

0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:10.640
<v Speaker 4>Yeah, that's yeah, that's great.

0:13:10.679 --> 0:13:14.040
<v Speaker 2>I mean, I think one of the largest, you know,

0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:16.960
<v Speaker 2>one of the great benefits of the program that I

0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:19.679
<v Speaker 2>think is highly needed for kids right now is what

0:13:19.720 --> 0:13:23.959
<v Speaker 2>I would call authentic connection. So there's more and more

0:13:24.000 --> 0:13:26.920
<v Speaker 2>screen time, there's more and more social media there's more

0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:29.320
<v Speaker 2>and more. All of that is increasing the anxiety and

0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:32.480
<v Speaker 2>our kids and what we're trying to give them back

0:13:33.080 --> 0:13:35.800
<v Speaker 2>is a bit of their childhood and to give them

0:13:35.840 --> 0:13:41.320
<v Speaker 2>back authentic connection with nature, authentic connection with each other,

0:13:42.000 --> 0:13:46.880
<v Speaker 2>and connection with themselves that you can't you know that

0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:47.920
<v Speaker 2>I that we.

0:13:47.960 --> 0:13:48.599
<v Speaker 4>Think you know.

0:13:48.679 --> 0:13:51.480
<v Speaker 2>Unfortunately, technology has many benefits, but that is one thing

0:13:51.520 --> 0:13:53.000
<v Speaker 2>it is taking away from our kids.

0:13:53.520 --> 0:13:57.320
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, and I'd have to imagine connection with people older

0:13:57.320 --> 0:13:59.160
<v Speaker 3>than them too, Right, they see their teachers on a

0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:01.880
<v Speaker 3>daily basis, maybe friends and families, stuff's going on at home,

0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:03.920
<v Speaker 3>but they get to come to a place where a

0:14:04.040 --> 0:14:06.800
<v Speaker 3>smile is on the on the educator's face and they

0:14:06.840 --> 0:14:10.880
<v Speaker 3>actually get to connect. Having those conversations about the outdoors

0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:13.240
<v Speaker 3>and someone that they can trust and feel comfortable with

0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:15.720
<v Speaker 3>is probably a big piece of that too now for sure.

0:14:15.760 --> 0:14:19.040
<v Speaker 2>And they're challenging themselves to do things they never thought

0:14:19.080 --> 0:14:20.800
<v Speaker 2>they could do. You know, you have kids who are

0:14:20.800 --> 0:14:22.920
<v Speaker 2>afraid of heights that are you know, climbing up really

0:14:23.000 --> 0:14:26.480
<v Speaker 2>high canopy towers. And with these views, you've got kids

0:14:26.520 --> 0:14:28.360
<v Speaker 2>that are really scared of heights that are going across

0:14:28.360 --> 0:14:31.440
<v Speaker 2>our suspension bridge which goes over a high ravine. You've

0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:33.600
<v Speaker 2>got kids going out on the challenge course, which in

0:14:33.640 --> 0:14:39.120
<v Speaker 2>and off of itself speaks for itself, and they're challenging themselves.

0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:41.560
<v Speaker 2>And the more and more our kids challenge themselves and

0:14:41.680 --> 0:14:43.960
<v Speaker 2>see that they can do it and see that not

0:14:44.000 --> 0:14:46.440
<v Speaker 2>only they can do it, but they like it, the

0:14:46.440 --> 0:14:49.080
<v Speaker 2>more confidence they have in themselves and the more agency

0:14:49.120 --> 0:14:49.640
<v Speaker 2>they feel.

0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:55.400
<v Speaker 3>So yeah, yeah, your favorite thing about working there? I mean,

0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:58.240
<v Speaker 3>what keeps you going every day? Is it joyful all

0:14:58.320 --> 0:15:01.920
<v Speaker 3>the time? Or are you you know, some days our

0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:04.800
<v Speaker 3>paperwork days? And then do you get to get out

0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:09.200
<v Speaker 3>on the campus and do an experience as well?

0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:12.240
<v Speaker 2>I can if I intentionally tell myself to go and

0:15:12.240 --> 0:15:14.480
<v Speaker 2>do it. Of course, you there's tons of paperwork with

0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:17.120
<v Speaker 2>my job and tons of dust time. That said, my favorite,

0:15:17.680 --> 0:15:20.680
<v Speaker 2>my favorite thing is the fact that literally if I

0:15:20.800 --> 0:15:23.240
<v Speaker 2>just look to my right and look out the window,

0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:27.280
<v Speaker 2>there is invariably always a kid walking by, especially when

0:15:27.320 --> 0:15:29.440
<v Speaker 2>they first arrive. I always hear all the laughter when

0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:32.480
<v Speaker 2>they're coming down the trails and I see them walk

0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:40.200
<v Speaker 2>right by my window. And for myself personally, when I

0:15:40.240 --> 0:15:42.360
<v Speaker 2>come up to the campus and I'm walking up to

0:15:42.400 --> 0:15:45.120
<v Speaker 2>the campus, you know, we have we it's Our campus

0:15:45.200 --> 0:15:48.080
<v Speaker 2>is intentionally built where you don't drive up to the

0:15:48.080 --> 0:15:50.800
<v Speaker 2>campus and walk through the door. You drive up to

0:15:50.840 --> 0:15:53.400
<v Speaker 2>the campus and you go through trails through the woods

0:15:53.400 --> 0:15:56.440
<v Speaker 2>before you ever see a building. And it's very intentionally built.

0:15:57.040 --> 0:16:00.920
<v Speaker 2>And I personally feel that when I walk through I

0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:04.760
<v Speaker 2>have it. It gives me a sense of calm, and

0:16:04.840 --> 0:16:08.520
<v Speaker 2>it gives me a sense of purpose. But it just

0:16:08.680 --> 0:16:13.760
<v Speaker 2>is incredibly inspiring. But and if that does it, if

0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:15.480
<v Speaker 2>it does it for me, I know it's.

0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:17.080
<v Speaker 4>Doing it for kids when they first arrive.

0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:19.480
<v Speaker 2>You know, they've got that whole kind of you know,

0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:23.480
<v Speaker 2>and it's just just to give them that sense of awe,

0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:25.120
<v Speaker 2>that sense of discovery.

0:16:25.680 --> 0:16:28.240
<v Speaker 4>And it really we did build it that way.

0:16:28.440 --> 0:16:32.320
<v Speaker 2>It was very intentional to not have buildings right when

0:16:32.360 --> 0:16:36.479
<v Speaker 2>you first arrive. Yeah, and that you got to experience

0:16:37.320 --> 0:16:39.800
<v Speaker 2>what it feels like to be immersed in nature right

0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:41.680
<v Speaker 2>at the beginning before you get to your lodge.

0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:44.960
<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Really cool. I mean a lot of different people

0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:46.920
<v Speaker 1>maybe for the first time being exposed to your work

0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:49.840
<v Speaker 1>or be listening to this. Obviously, the Sounders as a

0:16:49.880 --> 0:16:52.480
<v Speaker 1>club and fan base very support for the community. I

0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:55.720
<v Speaker 1>wonder what maybe some practical ways that we couldn't support

0:16:56.080 --> 0:16:58.440
<v Speaker 1>Island would anything you're doing. I mean, if anyone's listening

0:16:58.480 --> 0:17:00.800
<v Speaker 1>to this and hey, this sounds really cool, are there

0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:03.320
<v Speaker 1>any tangible ways we can get both the sideline and

0:17:03.360 --> 0:17:04.879
<v Speaker 1>get involved in a game and support you.

0:17:05.400 --> 0:17:08.000
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, well, some great practical ways or you know, we

0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:10.760
<v Speaker 2>have all sorts of community activities that people can engage

0:17:10.760 --> 0:17:13.879
<v Speaker 2>in from we have open days where you can come

0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:18.440
<v Speaker 2>hike the trails and to we do education programs where

0:17:18.520 --> 0:17:24.240
<v Speaker 2>all families can come and participate. And we do that because, yes,

0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:26.399
<v Speaker 2>while we serve kids, we really want to serve the

0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:28.960
<v Speaker 2>entire community, and we want everybody in our community out

0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:33.800
<v Speaker 2>there champion being champions not only for Islandwood, but for

0:17:34.040 --> 0:17:36.240
<v Speaker 2>nature and for.

0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:39.000
<v Speaker 4>The purpose of outdoor school. Outdoor school is not just

0:17:39.040 --> 0:17:41.000
<v Speaker 4>a field trip. It is not a field trip.

0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:45.520
<v Speaker 2>In my mind, it is critical for kids. It is

0:17:45.560 --> 0:17:51.840
<v Speaker 2>a critical component of their learning and their experience. You know,

0:17:51.920 --> 0:17:55.359
<v Speaker 2>the time that our kids are kids is really short,

0:17:56.160 --> 0:17:58.199
<v Speaker 2>and so you know, how you can help is to

0:17:58.200 --> 0:18:01.400
<v Speaker 2>get that word out and to make sure that we're

0:18:01.440 --> 0:18:07.840
<v Speaker 2>prioritizing time for our kids to get outside, to to

0:18:08.000 --> 0:18:14.400
<v Speaker 2>really explore and to because that time gives them creativity.

0:18:14.440 --> 0:18:18.800
<v Speaker 2>It gives them all the things that they're not they're

0:18:18.840 --> 0:18:23.119
<v Speaker 2>not getting Our childhood is changing for kids, and we

0:18:23.160 --> 0:18:25.320
<v Speaker 2>want to make sure they get it. So what you asked,

0:18:25.760 --> 0:18:28.080
<v Speaker 2>in my long winded way to answer it, was you know,

0:18:28.119 --> 0:18:33.000
<v Speaker 2>how how can you help? I think it's in championing

0:18:33.040 --> 0:18:36.760
<v Speaker 2>the work. Really just telling people about our work. I

0:18:36.760 --> 0:18:40.119
<v Speaker 2>think it's attending community events, and of course it's always

0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:42.879
<v Speaker 2>contributing in some way, whether it's your time, talent, or

0:18:42.880 --> 0:18:43.399
<v Speaker 2>your treasure.

0:18:44.720 --> 0:18:48.159
<v Speaker 1>Amazing, Yeah, no, wonderful, I mean yeah, great, to be

0:18:48.240 --> 0:18:50.760
<v Speaker 1>very fascinating to hear about this really can tell your

0:18:50.800 --> 0:18:53.600
<v Speaker 1>passionate commitment to what you're doing. So I hope everyone

0:18:53.640 --> 0:18:55.280
<v Speaker 1>that's listening to this that would like to find a

0:18:55.320 --> 0:18:57.119
<v Speaker 1>way to get involved in so many different ways that

0:18:57.160 --> 0:19:00.400
<v Speaker 1>we can do. So, if there's anything will we've covered

0:19:00.480 --> 0:19:02.359
<v Speaker 1>quite a bit that you would like to mention or

0:19:02.359 --> 0:19:04.880
<v Speaker 1>would like to make us aware of, please feel free

0:19:04.920 --> 0:19:08.000
<v Speaker 1>will give you that space right now before we wrap

0:19:08.080 --> 0:19:09.200
<v Speaker 1>this up, just in case.

0:19:09.520 --> 0:19:11.719
<v Speaker 2>We have a number of programs that people aren't aware of.

0:19:12.880 --> 0:19:15.359
<v Speaker 2>We also we have a graduate program people come and

0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:18.720
<v Speaker 2>get their Masters in education from US, and it's in

0:19:18.760 --> 0:19:22.880
<v Speaker 2>partnership with the University of Washington, and so for.

0:19:22.880 --> 0:19:24.080
<v Speaker 4>Folks wanting to.

0:19:25.720 --> 0:19:30.159
<v Speaker 2>Really look at being an educator and having the skill

0:19:30.200 --> 0:19:36.160
<v Speaker 2>set that is really centered around environmental sustainability and environment

0:19:36.240 --> 0:19:39.920
<v Speaker 2>and the natural world, I think it's a great master's program.

0:19:41.000 --> 0:19:41.760
<v Speaker 4>So that's one.

0:19:42.359 --> 0:19:44.800
<v Speaker 2>The other is, and you mentioned it briefly, but it

0:19:44.880 --> 0:19:48.520
<v Speaker 2>is our work with educators and our belief is that

0:19:48.640 --> 0:19:53.119
<v Speaker 2>every kid in their learning, that it should not just

0:19:53.200 --> 0:19:57.480
<v Speaker 2>be traditional in the classroom otedesk, that we really should

0:19:57.560 --> 0:20:01.000
<v Speaker 2>be creating experiential learning for our kids that's place based,

0:20:01.720 --> 0:20:04.840
<v Speaker 2>that is centered to them and center to where they

0:20:04.920 --> 0:20:06.760
<v Speaker 2>live and their world.

0:20:07.440 --> 0:20:09.560
<v Speaker 1>Well yeah, Megan, thank you so much for joining me.

0:20:09.720 --> 0:20:10.120
<v Speaker 1>Very cool.

0:20:10.320 --> 0:20:12.000
<v Speaker 4>Well thanks for thanks for doing this.

0:20:12.119 --> 0:20:15.280
<v Speaker 2>I'm sure you're interviewing a lot of different organizations. I

0:20:15.320 --> 0:20:17.960
<v Speaker 2>really appreciate you being champions