Trail Blazer Camps Inc

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO TRAIL BLAZERS TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT IN BROOKLYN, NY. THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS BY ENGAGING 60 CHILDREN AND TEENS THROUGHOUT BROOKLYN, NY IN CLIMATE LITERACY PROGRAMMING, AGE APPROPRIATE, TO DEVELOP THEIR ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE AND IMPLEMENT STEWARDSHIP ACTIONS. THIS INCLUDES A PLACE-BASED AND OUTDOOR-ORIENTED MODEL TO FACILITATE EXPLORATION OF THE WAYS OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENTS AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS ARE INTERCONNECTED; HANDS-ON AND PROJECT-BASED ACTIVITIES TO BUILD KNOWLEDGE AND REAL-WORLD SKILLS; AND A CAPSTONE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT, WHICH YOUTH DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT THEMSELVES TO DEVELOP AGENCY WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY AND ACADEMICALLY. ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN BROOKLYN, NY AND PROVIDE STUDENTS FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL AT THE BROOKLYN GREEN MAGNET SCHOOL OF ECO-ACTIVISM THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: THE EXECUTION OF A ONE WEEK SUMMER CAMP SESSION, AND A 6 WEEK SESSION THAT MEETS TWICE A WEEK. THE SESSIONS WILL START WITH A SUNRISE CIRCLE AND END WITH A SUNSET CIRCLE AND COVER TOPICS SUCH AS THE CARBON CYCLE, COMPOSTING, INDIGENOUS STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL EXERCISES WILL ALSO BE INTEGRATED WITH A COMMUNITY SERVICE FINAL PROJECT THAT WILL EMPOWER AND ENCOURAGE THE YOUTH TO USE THE SKILLS LEARNED IN THE SESSIONS. AS WELL AS AN OUTDOOR TRIP TO THE NEW JERSEY CAMPGROUND IF WEATHER PERMITS. SUBRECIPIENT:SUBRECIPIENTS TO BE AWARDED ARE: BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK CONSERVANCY, BROOKLYN GREEN SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION, KOKO NYC, NEW JERSEY SCHOOL OF CONSERVATION (NJSOC), AND ROGERS/TILDEN/VERONICA PLACE (RTV) GARDEN. FUNDING WOULD ENABLE BROOKLYN CHILDREN TO ACCESS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMING THAT IS CENTERED ON STEWARDING BROOKLYN'S WATERWAYS AND OTHER NATURAL AREAS FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. FUNDING WOULD ENABLE THE BKG PTA TO PROVIDE FREE/LOW-COST PROGRAMMING THAT ENGAGES ITS ENTIRE STUDENT BODY IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION THAT IS CENTERED ON STEWARDING THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT. FUNDING WOULD ENABLE KOKO NYC TO PROVIDE FREE/LOW-COST PROGRAMMING THAT ENGAGES CHILDREN IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS THAT ARE CENTERED ON STEWARDING THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT THROUGH RECYCLING/REPURPOSING MATERIALS AND OTHER SUSTAINABILITY-FOCUSED EFFORTS. FUNDING WOULD ENABLE NJSOC TO PROVIDE FREE/LOW-COST PROGRAMMING THAT ENGAGES CHILDREN IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS THAT ARE CENTERED ON STEWARDING THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT. FUNDING WOULD ENABLE THE RVT GARDEN TO PROVIDE FREE PROGRAMMING THAT PROVIDES BROOKLYN TEENS WITH TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE THAT EQUIPS THEM TO LEAD ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: YEARLONG SCHOOL SESSIONS PROGRAM ENDING IN VARIOUS FINAL GROUP PROJECTS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE: 75% OF PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATE AN INCREASE IN CLIMATE KNOWLEDGE AND ACTIONS TO AFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE, DEMONSTRATE GROWTH IN AT LEAST ONE OUTDOOR SEL COMPETENCY, DEMONSTRATE AN INCREASE OR MAINTENANCE OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS. MEDIUM-TERM OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASED ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY IN THE REALM OF INFORMATION-SEEKING, CRITICAL THINKING, AND RESEARCH. ULTIMATELY THE LONG TERM OUT COMES INCLUDE: IMPROVED CLIMATE LITERACY, INCREASED INTEREST AGENCY AND PARTICIPATION IN CITIZEN LED CLIMATE EFFORTS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE 60 PARTICIPANTS MENTIONED, AS WELL AS THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THE STUDENTS LIVE AND SUB AWARDEES WILL ENGAGE.