The Next Generation:
Bicycle Adventurers, Nature Lovers
The Out Our Front Door Youth Program provides unique outdoor bicycle adventures to ride and even camp in nature. This environmental education program connects youth to their local ecosystems and history. The idea is to have fun and learn how to better care for our native habitats. The momentum to preserve our native habitats & trails can and will only persist if we get the next generation immersed in and excited about nature.
The program is designed for Chicago high school students. The youth participants will build bike tour leadership skills and will have opportunities lead future OOFD rides.
The program is designed for Chicago high school students. The youth participants will build bike tour leadership skills and will have opportunities lead future OOFD rides.
Program Overview: A Three Step Model
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We partner with youth & school organizations to lead a curriculum composed of three events:
1. A Bike Camping Clinic This includes engaging activities in how to prepare and pack for a bike camping trip using methods and gear that is affordable and accessible (i.e. rolling milk crate style). The youth are also introduced to some of the nature and learning objectives of the program. 2. Where the Wild Things Grow: A Ride to Ecological Service Giving back to nature and learning by immersion. During this event, we ride to a local habitat, complete habitat restoration (think removing invasive species or beach clean-ups), and learn a bit more about issues that our native habitats face. 3. Bike Camping Overnight Trip It all culminates here! Load our gear onto the bikes and go on a completely self-sustained overnight bike camping trip to a county or state park. On this trip, the youth learn how to properly tour (yes, you have to drink water), camping skills (how to set up tents, start a fire, cook over that fire), and simply have fun in nature. Over the trip, they learn about the history of the area and what makes these ecosystems so unique. And on Day 2, we enjoy the park then hop an evening train back into the city. |
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Curriculum Field Study Topics
Throughout the educational adventures, students learn about about native habitats and develop the skills needed to safely bike to nature.
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Here are some of the Field Studies covered in the course:
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Goals & Impacts
1. Students gain the skills to get out their front door, hop on a bike, and have a fun adventure in nature. The idea is to help our urban youth reconnect to the natural world and to be given an "outside" perspective of their neighborhood.
2. Students are directly educated and immersed in our local habitats and history, thus inspiring a deeper appreciation of our home and natural heritage. This creates pride and engaged stewardship to restore, care for, and maintain the local trails and habitats. Thus increasing the ecological biodiversity of the Lower Lake Michigan Basin Area.
3. The program provides a professional development pipeline for the youth by offering leadership opportunities with our the larger Out Our Front Door Organization including helping to develop and lead tours and even contribute to tour scripts.
4. The curriculum is aligned with the CPS Service Learning (P.A.R.E.) model which allows CPS high school students to earn service learning hours needed for graduation.
5. The 3 year goal is to be a fully operating After School Matters program in Chicago Public Schools.
2. Students are directly educated and immersed in our local habitats and history, thus inspiring a deeper appreciation of our home and natural heritage. This creates pride and engaged stewardship to restore, care for, and maintain the local trails and habitats. Thus increasing the ecological biodiversity of the Lower Lake Michigan Basin Area.
3. The program provides a professional development pipeline for the youth by offering leadership opportunities with our the larger Out Our Front Door Organization including helping to develop and lead tours and even contribute to tour scripts.
4. The curriculum is aligned with the CPS Service Learning (P.A.R.E.) model which allows CPS high school students to earn service learning hours needed for graduation.
5. The 3 year goal is to be a fully operating After School Matters program in Chicago Public Schools.
It Takes a Village
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COLLABORATION is foundational to everything we do as an organization. We love to prop up our like minded organizations and in return, they have helped us get this program off the ground.
We have been bursting with gratitude for our partnerships thus far with the BIG 3 youth bike programs in the city and even region: BLACKSTONE BIKES, THE RECYCLERY, and WEST TOWN BIKES. Thank you to The Friends of the Forest Preserves, The Nature Conservancy, Working Bikes, the Chicago Park District, and Inspiring Connections Outdoors for assisting in our program initiatives. |
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SHARE THIS PROGRAM WITH A FRIEND, TEACHER, SCHOOL, OR YOUTH ORGANIZATION
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