Hundreds of Maine students will take to outdoor classrooms this year thanks to a new pilot program administered by University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Maine became one of four states to commit to bringing outdoor learning to all schools when Gov. Janet Mills approved legislation in May.
The pilot program has $450,000 secured from private foundations, including the Betterment Fund, Horizon Foundation and Quimby Family Foundation.
While the program has yet to be fully funded, the extension will issue grants to outdoor centers that partner with schools for three-day excursions.
Ryder Scott oversees U-Maine Extension's 4-H Centers. He says the curriculum will help expose students to careers in science and the outdoors.
"I would like to see them say that the experience sparked their interest in science, in the natural world," he said. "I would like to see them say that it helped them to see their peers and their teachers in a different light."
Scott says the "Outdoor School for All" program needs at least $6-million dollars to be fully funded. The pilot program will serve over 20% of Maine students.
The other three states that fund similar programs are Oregon, Washington and Minnesota which are funded with lottery appropriations.
