Muddy Sneakers

 Muddy Sneakers is an outdoor science program for public school students in western North Carolina, providing fifth graders regular (6 - 12 times a year) learning expeditions to nearby natural areas where, in  small groups led by trained naturalists, the students can learn about Nature through direct experience.

It's a genius idea. Today's urban and suburban kids, caught up in television, the Internet  and a myriad of planned activities are often completely without experience of the natural world.  Even if it weren't for all those distractions, not many kids anymore live within walking or biking distance of natural areas.

Enter Muddy Sneakers!  They work with fifth graders, the perfect age --young enough to feel a sense of wonder and not distracted by teen age hormones and coolness.  What an excellent way to foster environmental awareness!  What's more, this outdoor classroom experience often lights a fire in mediocre or poor students, resulting in  surprisingly improved academic performance in every area.


Have a look at their website; maybe even think about getting involved!  Wouldn't it be great to see programs like this everywhere?

Thanks, Merisi!

I was in Asheville yesterday, attending a luncheon for Muddy Sneakers (of which I shall post more tomorrow) and of course I took my camera.

It's ironic -- Muddy Sneakers is all about getting city kids out into Nature and helping them to understand what they see there.

I, on the other hand, am only now beginning to appreciate what I see in a city -- and that's thanks to Merisi's blog. Without Merisi, I wouldn't have stopped to notice the delicate pastel tiles surrounding this simple but elegant carving...

And thanks to Merisi, I'm always looking up at roof lines  and enjoying the geometry of architecture. . .

 Here are some more things I saw in Asheville yesterday.