We launched our Footpath Nature Club this week and it’s off to a great start! This eager group of kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Lorain were excited to dive in and we can’t wait for them to reap all of the benefits this club has to offer. Our expert educator, Angela Yeager, is leading the club and started off by teaching the kids about their moral compass in their hearts; integrity.
This unique program meets weekly and focuses on expanding mindsets and building resiliency with nature as the key tool. We improve self-esteem and problem solving while also guiding children to find their own leadership qualities and team building skills. They learn how the beauty of the natural world can help them to always live life with integrity.
“Giving equitable access to nature is important to us because we know the emotional, physical, cognitive and academic growth children gain from outdoor experiences is essential to their development,” says Footpath President, Mary Macias. “The Footpath Nature Club is unique because our curriculum takes a three-prong approach by focusing not only on nature and science, but also on positive socio-economic attributes such as patience, teamwork, self-esteem, and resiliency. It’s exciting to see children smiling and laughing while learning how to find direction with a compass AND integrity.”
Upon program completion, these amazing kids will not only understand, appreciate and fall in love with nature, but they will also be more confident with increased knowledge about the world around them. They will view the world differently and understand that they are not only defined by their circumstances.