Is it just me, or did we all breathe a collective sigh of relief when the leaves started to turn?
The promise of fall brings cooler temperatures, shorter days and, hopefully, reduced wildfire risks. After yet another summer of drought, heat and fires, it feels good to catch our breath.
The uncertainty we face these days is hard for anyone to carry. For kids, it can be even harder. They’re growing up with disasters and anxiety as the norm.
So what can we give today’s students?
Hope.
Hope is found in the simplest moments: kindergarten hands grasping prickly pinecones and imagining these tiny seeds transforming into towering trees; teens scooping cold creek water into vials and uncovering the secrets of a healthy stream; elementary students running through wildflower meadows and feeling the earth beneath their feet. Hope comes from understanding the world around us and feeling connected enough to care.
This belief is at the heart of Wildsight’s Education programs. Will you give today to bring hope to today’s students?
One of my favourite things to teach students is that the water on Earth today is essentially the same water that has been cycling through our planet for billions of years. The water we drink, the rain that falls, the snow that blankets our mountains — it’s all part of one interconnected system.
That idea can be transformative. It helps students see that we are not separate from nature. We are part of these systems, and our choices affect them.
Each summer, I’m lucky enough to bring 16 high school students on an immersive 15-day journey through the Columbia River watershed. Students take away a deep understanding of this place we call home and the shared watershed that gives us life.I always find it powerful to witness these students’ journeys and I love hearing how much they take away from the experience.
“Something I learned about being on the Columbia River for two weeks is how much this watershed impacts my life and everything around me, and I didn’t even realize it.”2026 Columbia River Field School student
Nature also teaches us resilience and renewal. A beaver observes, responds to its surroundings and creates habitat that benefits an entire ecosystem. A forest regenerates after a wildfire. Species adapt. Rivers find their way.
When we take children outside, we give them the chance to witness these things for themselves. They experience awe and wonder, find space for difficult emotions, and discover that the natural world holds both inspiration and solutions.
Environmental education helps children move from fear towards understanding, from understanding towards action, and from action to hope.
Our kids need that. And, honestly, I think we all do.
Name, can you give today to help bring more students outdoors for hands-on learning that builds the knowledge and confidence they need for the future?
Thank you for helping us inspire the next generation to love, understand and care for this remarkable planet.
