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 Chicagoland middle school and high school students. The youth participants will build bike tour leadership skills and will have opportunities lead future OOFD rides.
Our Youth Program only does work directly with our existing partners, but if you are interested in getting your children or students involved in our programming, Contact Us, and we can work to get them riding with us!
The program is designed for Chicagoland middle school and high school students. The youth participants will build bike tour leadership skills and will have opportunities lead future OOFD rides.
Our Youth Program only does work directly with our existing partners, but if you are interested in getting your children or students involved in our programming, Contact Us, and we can work to get them riding with us!
Program Overview
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We partner with youth & school organizations to lead a variety of events:
1. Bike Camping Clinics 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: Rides 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. Day Rides Our trained guides discuss the basics of safe group riding and then lead short bike rides to explore and educate on beautiful natural spaces in and around Chicago. 4. Bike Camping Overnight Rides It all culminates here! We usually rent camp gear from the campground and ride our bikes to a local campground in a county or state park, a15-30 mile ride. 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 a 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 which have ranged from all of the big youth bike programs from: The Recyclery, Bikes N' Roses, West Town Bikes, Blackstone Bikes, Greencorps Chicago, and many more. 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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