In response to COVID-19, Blue Sky has pivoted our transformative outdoor programming and repurposed our experiential education expertise to continue serving our students, families, and teachers in the following ways:
- Produced a #ThinkOutsideWithBlueSky online learning series with over 20 outdoor video lessons, which feature simple hands-on science lessons that can be completed in any outdoor space available to families. These videos are available on Blue Sky’s YouTube or can be found on our social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram).
- Distributed 1,500 hard-copy Home Science Learning Kits at 10 RPS meal distribution sites for those students without online access that might not be able to participate in virtual learning. These science kits were geared toward K-5 grade students and included seven science lesson plans with all of the materials necessary to complete those activities.
- Facilitated weekly virtual outdoor experiences that were available to all RPS middle school students through NextUp’s online enrichment portal.
- Provided weekly service ideas for our high school students in the Outdoor Leadership Institute to guide students on how to support their local community. We also shifted the timeline of this year's Outdoor Leadership Institute, which usually kicks off in the summer, so that our 20 new participants will participate remotely in leadership building activities from July-September, and then pending social distancing restrictions students will complete monthly community service projects in person starting in September and embark on an immersive wilderness expedition in Summer 2021.
In looking to the future, we anticipate that the need for experiential education will last long after the COVID-19 crisis, with an increased motivation for students to engage in hands-on outdoor learning after depending on virtual education for months. Students will need trauma-informed care support more than ever when they return to school and begin to process this crisis with teachers and classmates. We’re working closely with our Board of Directors and community partners to explore programming scenarios that will enable Blue Sky to continue delivering our experiential outdoor education to students during the 2020-2021 school year, and will provide updates once those plans are finalized.
During this public health crisis, spending time in outdoor spaces has become even more important for many Americans. Yet these unusual circumstances mean that all of us, from seasoned outdoor enthusiasts to families heading out to their local park for the first time, could use a little guidance about how to stay safe. The Recreate Responsibly guidelines offer a starting point for getting outside to keep yourself healthy and to maintain access to our parks, trails, and beaches.
We are still getting mail at PO Box 8108, Richmond, VA 23223
We are still able to deposit checks.
All of our phone numbers are being forwarded to our cellphones, so we are still available if you call.