Catholic Youth Organization Environmental Education Program

Tidings from the Mountain Top: A Look at the Archdiocese’s Reformed Environmental Education program

What does canoeing next to a beaver dam, feeling wildlife bones, and coring a red cedar have to do with our Catholic faith? Fifth and sixth grade students at Camp Hamilton’s Environmental Education program are experiencing science through a Catholic lens, due to a curriculum rewrite based on Pope Francis’ Laudato si’, and supporting the Next Generation Science Standards. A Seattle Archdiocesan team made up of teachers (Nathan Frank and Meghan Hoyer) and Environmental Education Directors (Terri Schell and Garrett Hendricks) created an inquiry based program that would connect the worlds of science and faith, framed by the words of Pope Francis himself. The new program calls students, through the voice of our Holy Father, to apply the science lessons and environmental stewardship beyond the old growth forests of Camp Hamilton to the student’s schools, churches, and communities.

Terri Schell
Asst. Director of Environmental and Challenge Education
Office for Youth & Young Adult Evangelization
710 Ninth Ave | Seattle, WA 98104
206.274.3118 phone
206.903.4627 fax
http://www.seattlearchdiocese.org/OY...ing/enved.aspx