IslandWood

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IslandWood is a non-profit outdoor learning center located on Bainbridge Island in Washington State. It was founded in 2001 to provide environmental education for young people living in King and Kitsap Counties.

IslandWood's core program is called the School Overnight Program. Approximately 3400 fourth, fifth and sixth grade students attend the program each year.^[1] They are taught by residential graduate students taking part in the Graduate Residency in Education, Environment and Community (EEC), which is offered in partnership with the University of Washington.

[edit] History

In 1997, over a thousand acres of land were being sold on the south end of Bainbridge Island. Local residents Debbi and Paul Brainerd proposed the idea of building a a children's outdoor education center^[2]; a subsequent feasibility study showed that half of Puget Sound area students did not receive overnight outdoor education programs.^[3] The Brainerds purchased 255 acres (1.03 km²) of land for the program^[4], conducted two years of research and began building the center in the summer of 2000. Pilot programs were held in in spring 2002.

[edit] References

^ Blanchard, Jessica. "Hands on classroom, where learning comes natural", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2007-04-16. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
^ Chou, Aimee. "Brainerds marry love of land and technology", Puget Sound Business Journal, 2005-11-18. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
^ Lasala, Rebekah. "IslandWood blends technology with nature", Puget Sound Business Journal, 2007-06-29. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
^ Paulson, Tom. "Newly found fault shakes up beliefs about regional quakes", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2003-09-10. Retrieved on 2007-11-26. "The outdoor learning center IslandWood, recently established on 255 acres (1.03 km²) by a donation from the Brainerd Foundation, allowed the geologists to rip the 50-foot (15 m)-long, 10 feet (3.0 m)-deep hole on their new grounds in mid-August."