Students to 'jump' into outdoors skills program in Gardner this summer
GARDNER — Local youngsters will have a chance to jump into some real-life outdoor adventures this summer.
J.U.M.P., a nonprofit youth development organization (J.U.M.P. stands for "just understand my potential’), is offering an eight-week outdoor skills program for elementary and middle school students. The morning courses, which will begin on Saturday, July 9, and run weekly until Aug. 27, will use the Rome Conservation Area as a classroom, and teach participants outdoor naturalist skills, including fire making, how to build a shelter, and plant and animal identification.
Ladda Kosaketh, J.U.M.P.’s education and adventure operations director, said the weekly adventures are aimed at building confidence in the outdoors and beyond while reinforcing the values of safety, commitment, respect, personal responsibility and positivity.
“(The program) is really focused on nature mentoring and nature connections, and just having a positive experience outdoors,” she said, adding that each class would be structured around topics the participants found to be the most interesting. “We have an outline of topics, but we really want to see what the kids want to focus on — if they want to spend three sessions on shelter building, then that’s what we’ll do. We just want them to have a positive experience outside.”
Kosaketh, who will be leading the sessions, said the organization was still looking for volunteers with outdoor experience who would like to share their knowledge and skills with youngsters.
“We have a broad base of volunteers who love being outdoors and working with kids, but we’re looking to recruit more people who would like to do something productive with their free time,” she said.
The program is a collaborative effort between J.U.M.P. and the North County Land Trust, according to Kosaketh.
Anna Wilkins, executive director for NTLC, said the 175-acre Rome Conservation Area is a perfect location for the outdoor summer program because it features a variety of natural habitats and plenty of trails for students to discover.
“The kids are going to be able to find lots of different types of animals and plants to explore on a weekly basis, and I think they’re going to have a lot of fun out there,” said Wilkins. “There’s a stream, there’s some wetlands, and we did a timber harvest, so (the kids) will be able to see the regeneration of the forest.”
Organizers hope the outdoor summer program becomes an annual tradition, according to Kosaketh. She said future programs might be expanded to include survival skills, nature photography and art lessons.
Wilkins said she's looking forward to a long and successful collaboration between J.U.M.P. and the NLTC.
“We want to see our kids out in the woods more, we want to see the next generation be familiar with being outside and being comfortable and to know the woods that are in their backyard,” Wilkins explained. “The woods are the backdrop and the facilitator for personal growth, and I think it’s where kids need to be.”
To register or find out more about the program: J.U.M.P.’s Adventure IRL! – JUST UNDERSTAND MY POTENTIAL, INC. (jumpinc.org). Officials said full and partial scholarships are available for qualified students.
"We don’t want cost to be an issue for anybody,” Kosaketh said.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Students to 'jump' into outdoors skills program this summer
