I was a lousy student for most of my schooling: I procrastinated on homework, failed courses and was generally unmotivated to learn. That all changed after a field trip to California’s redwoods during spring break of Grade 11.
Over the course of a week, I picked up trash on wild beaches, walked among ancient giants, wrote poetry about the land and was taught about these awe-inspiring ecosystems and what was being done to protect them. For the first time, I felt inspired by what I was learning—and it changed the course of my life.
My grades improved, I studied water resource management at university, and, after graduating, I followed the Columbia River from sea to source on my bike. Now, I work in a team that gives young people throughout the Columbia Basin access to life-changing educational experiences like mine every day.
My experience in the redwood forests was powerful for a few reasons: it captured the power of learning in nature, the strength of learning in community and the depth that comes from listening to different perspectives about the land. Wildsight’s environmental education programs are also founded on these principles, as well as another that I hold close to my heart: that education should be equally accessible to all.
No young person should miss out on the opportunity to get a wild education because of their family’s circumstances. That’s why I’m asking for help right now to provide subsidies to families who can’t afford outdoor experiences, and free environmental education to more than 750 kids in 30 schools across the Columbia Basin.
When I first started with Wildsight, I drew on my time in the redwoods to help create Wildsight’s Columbia River Field School. Over 15 days, we take a group of teenagers down the river on canoes. Along the way, they meet ecologists, Indigenous Elders and community leaders, learn about the wide-reaching impacts of hydropower, gain an insight into the complexity of water management decisions, and get inspired by the natural world—just as I was.
Recently, I received an email from Sarah, a young woman who took part in the Field School back in 2019. “I just wanted you and the team at Wildsight to know how much I appreciate having been able to participate in the CRFS,” Sarah wrote. “Going on the Field School was the most influential experience for me in figuring out what I want to do with my life. It was truly life changing!”
“Going on the Field School was the most influential experience for me in figuring out what I want to do with my life. It was truly life changing!”Sarah, CRFS alumni
Sarah went on to say that, inspired by her Field School experience, she enrolled in a hydrology and water management degree after finishing high school. Now, she’s in her final year and excitedly following negotiations for a modernized Columbia River Treaty. I can’t wait to see what she does next.
You can support young people like Sarah to experience the lessons of a lifetime with a tax-deductible gift today. Your support will help subsidize students in our field programs on a sliding, means-based scale. It will also help us reach kids and youth through our free, school-based programs like Beyond Recycling, Lessons From Nature and Watershed Matters. These programs give young people the tools, knowledge and inspiration to build a better future for themselves and for us all.
I’ve had a lot of advantages in my life, but chief among them have been the opportunities and experiences I’ve had access to. It’s because of them that I am who I am today. Will you help give Columbia Basin youth the same advantages? Your donation today will make a world of difference — and will go twice as far thanks to our generous matching donor.
For the wild,
Graeme Lee Rowlands, Director of Water and Climate, Wildsight
