That’s right, free. Thanks to the support of numerous government, non-profit and for-profit organizations, GO Day helps to provide fun outdoor activities and outdoor information for the whole family. We invite you all to join the ELK team as we make our way out to the Lily pond in City Park where we will be helping Colorado Parks and Wildlife with their “Take a Family Fishing” activity. Volunteers and staff will be available around the area to assist kids and parents as they try their hand at catching their very own fish. Together we can get up, get active and get involved while we help to cultivate an appreciation for the great outdoors in Colorado’s youth.

Hope to see you then! 

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When: Saturday June 8th, 2013

Where: City Park, Colorado Blvd and E. 17 Ave Parkway Denver, Colorado 80220

Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy/Mostly Sunny, High 86ºF/ Low 54ºF

More Information: www.getoutdoorscolorado.org

Saturday morning cartoons were pushed aside this past weekend as ELK kids and families instead awoke bright and early for a fun packed day of fishing, BBQ and educational activities on the picture perfect banks of Colorado’s Lake Lehow.  May 18^th, 2013 marked ELK’s 10^th annual Cast a Line event and between the beautiful weather and even better company, it’s safe to say that things truly do get better with age.  Every child who attended was presented with their very own fishing pole to keep, some for which this became the very first fishing pole they would ever own. It’s hard to put into words, the feelings of joy and excitement that balloon and fill the air when watching a young person connect with nature, or reel in a fish for the first time- thankfully we made sure to take lots of photos!

In between moving from novice to pro fishermen (and women), attendees were given the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of environmental plants and animals, taught by none other than ELK’s own student leaders.  Did you know that Colorado’s state fish is the greenback cutthroat trout? Or that dragonfly larvae are aquatic bugs before they can fly?  It’s safe to say that every person who went by ELK’s Senior Deztani Sandoval’s “Fish of Colorado” station won’t soon forget!

Lunchtime came quickly with a treat beyond even the ever-yummy Bennet’s BBQ; Senator Udall dropped in to get a taste of the day’s festivities!  ELK youth and families listened intently as the outdoorsman Senator spoke candidly about the importance of introducing young people at an early age to the incredible wonders of the natural environment, and the high need for invested stewards dedicated to preserving it.  We are more than confident that our ELK youth heard him loud and clear!

With more than 150 roaring-to-fish attendees, it’s safe to that this year’s Cast a Line event was a huge success.  Special thanks go out to our incredibly generous sponsors Wal-Mart and Gilmore Construction, our always willing to help volunteers and Board of Directors, Senator Udall, our many wonderful supporters, and most of all to our ELK students and families for whom which without, ELK would have no reason to exist.

An interesting graphic that represents the quantitative usage of “key words” identified in the ELK brand audit. *Note: the bigger the word, the more frequently it was mentioned in the responses.

Going forward, these same ELK stakeholders will conduct a facilitated process to identify which of these words best define our mission, vision, and help us to develop a position statement for future growth! A fun and exciting process indeed. Stay tuned!

Some sample brand audit responses:

“ELK is a non-profit organization that provides learning opportunities for inner city youth of color to experience the wonders of nature which enables them to enjoy and appreciate our great earth.   As they mature, they pursue college degrees (frequently in a science-related field) and grow up to be better stewards of our limited resources.  The ELK kids also learn about team work, leadership and collaboration as a result of their trips and various activities together. “

“ELK is the bridge between our urban youth and nature! It is the window to self-discovery, exploration, knowledge, service and adventure! And when the window opens, it brings the urban to the wild and the wild to the urban!!!”

Here at ELK we are thankful for many things this time of year. As we wrap up another great semester of school programs we look back and give thanks for all of the great students, teachers and schools we’ve had the chance to work with. Whether it’s a six-week session where ELK staff meet every day with the same group of kids, or a day-long intensive program working with five or six different groups of youth in a single day, school programs are a fun and unique part of ELK’s environmental education programming.

ELK’s school programs this term wrapped up with a couple of great day-long programs at the two SOAR Academy campuses in Green Valley Ranch and Montebello. ELK’s program team brought a recently revamped Earth science curriculum into eight different 4^th and 5^th grade classrooms. Through six hands-on experiment stations SOAR students explored the fascinating processes of weathering and erosion that are constantly reshaping our planet. During this engaging program, SOAR students learned about both the natural and human influenced effects of different types of weathering and erosion and were encouraged to think about large and small scale examples of these processes.

Eyes sparkles and jaws dropped when students were asked to consider whether an iconic local landmark, the Rocky Mountain range, would still be around if they were to return to Earth two million years from now! You could practically see the gears of imagination turning!

It was a wet, muddy, loud, and sometimes stinky couple days of science inquiry…we wouldn’t have it any other way! Thanks to all our kids, partner teachers and schools for another great semester of environmental learning!

The ELK and Hispanic Access Foundation Teams in DC!

On September 18^th 2012, 3 ELK youth and 2 staff were busy boarding a plane for Washington DC.  For many of our students this plane ride was their first.  This plane ride was just one of many firsts for our youth.  We met up with a group of students and staff from the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) a Washington DC based non-profit.  Together we have been working to expose more Hispanic youth to the natural wonder of Browns Canyon and emphasize through experience the importance of preserving it for future generations.  More than 65 students and families spent a July weekend whitewater rafting and camping in Browns Canyon!  Now we are taking our voice to DC to be heard by our elected officials.  We arrived in DC around midnight, so we were exhausted and needed to get some shut eye before our big day meeting with US Colorado Senators.

Wednesday morning sure came early!  ELK students and staff were dressed to the nines and ready to hit the pavement.  We first met with Senator Michael Bennet for coffee in his office, where we discussed how education and the environment are the driving force behind the economy in Colorado.  We also talked about how Senator Bennet and his office can get more involved with ELK and he is on board with getting out on some of our field trips.  We then caught up with Senator Mark Udall, where we took some great pictures and expressed our thoughts about his upcoming legislation to make Browns Canyon a National Monument or National Wilderness Area.   ELK students Maurice Hernandez, Samantha Gilmore and Angel Caraveo-Ramos got to ask the Senator a few great questions!

ELK and HAF youth had a great meeting with U.S. Senator, Mark Udall.

We then had lunch on the National Mall and we got to see the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.  The students loved the museum and said they will be back to visit it again!  We also walked through the Supreme Court Building, and it was so cool to see all the history that lives in that building.  Needless to say after this long day we were all beat, so we headed back to the hotel for an early bed time.

ELK Youth exploring Washington D.C.

Thursday morning and we are all refreshed!  We started the day with a tour of the Capital, which was amazing and we learned a lot.  Next up was a meeting with the White House.  In attendance at our meeting was the White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley,  USDA staff, Rohan Patel, Eli Levin, and Max Finberg.  Ali Kelly from the First Lady’s office was in attendance as well.  What an incredible opportunity for our students to meet with all of these great people.

Well we certainly didn’t stop there, we next headed to the Department of Interior to meet with Secretary Ken Salazar’s staff, and then a great surprise the Director of National Park Service Jon Jarvis was egger to meet with the ELK and HAF youth.  This was a great meeting talking about how to get more kids outdoors and into the National Parks.

ELK student, Maurice Hernandez, thrilled to be exploring the sights of Washington D.C.

What an amazing day and we didn’t even know what the evening had in store for us!  After dinner we headed down to the National Mall to visit all the remarkable monuments and memorials that line the reflection pool.  From the WWII Memorial to the Lincoln to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial these students were in admiration for these great Americans.  It sure made them feel proud to be an American.  I guess you get that feeling when you are in Washington DC.  So, the night was not over.  We kept hearing this music and we followed it all the way to the Dr. King Jr. Memorial.  There we stopped to hear the music and then a gentleman made a special introduction for us.  We were introduced to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter Bernice A. King!  It was such an honor to have met her and tell her about all the great things ELK is doing for the youth in Denver, CO.  She was so great talking to our students, taking pictures, and dancing with them.  Our kids were on cloud nine after that, calling home to tell friends and family who they just met!  Very cool!

ELK and HAF youth with Representative Polis

Friday, our last day was filled quickly with meetings with Representative Jared Polis, and Representative Dianna DeGette, where we talked about the importance of education and getting kids outdoors.

WOW, I think, in admiration as I stand beside our youth while getting ready to board the plane back to Colorado.  These young adults that I have the pleasure of working for are unbelievable.  They really can do anything they want to and I will be there behind them every step of the way.  I feel very honored to have brought ELK students to our Nation’s Capital and the expressions on their faces when looking at the memorials and monuments is one I will never forget.   Thank you ELK for this wonderful opportunity!

-   Kim Weiss, ELK Education Coordinator

ELK’s newest technology tool – “e-clickers!”

Here at ELK we are dedicated to making sure kids have ample opportunities to get outdoors and learn science experientially, free from the day-to-day distractions of television, video games, and cell phones. Technology, however, is an important tool in the work we do and can be instrumental in engaging the youth we work with, all of whom are “digital natives” –i.e., someone who was born during or after the general introduction of digital technologia and through interacting with digital technology from an early age, has a greater understanding of its concepts (Wikipedia).

Recognizing that the majority of today’s youth relate to the world around them through a digital lens, ELK’s program staff are excited to be incorporating a new technology tool into their assessment and evaluation toolkit. Student Response Systems, or “e-clickers”, are a fairly common sight on most college campuses these days and starting this fall will be a common sight on ELK programs as well. These small, hand-held, remote control-like devices allow educators to administer surveys and quizzes on an overhead projector or orally and then receive students’ responses digitally!

Not only do students enjoy the novelty of digital interaction, but e-clickers will allow ELK staff to collect student answers instantly on a laptop computer and quickly evaluate how well students are learning science and environmental education concepts. E-clicker technology will improve ELK programs by allowing staff to conduct more rigorous evaluation more often, will save money and resources through reduced printing and paper expenses, and will expose ELK youth to an assessment technology they are likely to encounter in college, or even earlier in their academic careers.

ELK would like to thank The Brennan Family Foundation and  Master Tech Solutions, Inc. for their generous support in acquiring this state-of-the-art education technology.

Cast a Line

Great fishing despite the rain at Cast-a-Line 2012

Families from all across the Denver metro area will come together to enjoy a beautiful day of fishing and fun at Cast A Line – A Family Fishing Event taking place on Saturday, May 19 at 11:00am, hosted by Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK).

Set at the idyllic Lake Lehow in Waterton Canyon, parents, grandparents, and children as young as 5 years old will learn to fish and bond together in Colorado’s great outdoors.  Families can take home fish that they catch, and children will take home their fishing poles and fishing supplies.

The day will include fishing, lunch, prizes, and environmental education and conservation lessons.  Funds raised from the event will go directly towards ELK’s environmental education and outdoor youth programs.

“Life rarely slows down now, and fishing together gives us a chance to appreciate not only the beauty of nature but reconnect with each other. That is the essence of Environmental Learning for Kids – family, nature, and quality experience,” says Stacie Gilmore ELK’s Executive Director.

Directions to the lake: From C-470 and S. Wadsworth Blvd., go south on Wadsworth Blvd (Hwy 75/121) for approximately 4 1/2 miles past Chatfield State Park, turn left on Waterton Road. After making the left turn, take the second left into the parking lot, proceed to the rear of the parking lot to the open green gate, and follow the signs.

For more information, contact Jolynn at 303-291-7503 or jcrownover@elkkids.org

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ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING FOR KIDS

Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK), is a Denver-based, 501(c)3 organization established in 1996 by two wildlife biologists who saw a growing need to introduce and educate Colorado’s urban youth about science, leadership, and careers.  Both scientists had the shared experience of being the only ethnically diverse people in many of their college science classes.  They decided that they wanted to change that fact. Sixteen years later, ELK continues to provide strong educational support, good role models, and opportunities for positive community action for youth, helping them to become engaged, productive, and successful members of society.  For more information about ELK please visit http://www.elkkids.org.

On Friday, March 23, 2012 ELK Staff took our Leadership group to the 38^th Annual Denver March Powwow which is held each year, around the same time, thanks to Lolita (who attends every year) for obtaining tickets for us.  This is a first for ELK; it was a very new and different experience for us all. The kids loved it they couldn’t stop dancing to the drums once grand entry started. Grand entry is how the powwow usually begins. The Eagle Staff leads the Grand Entry, followed by flags, then the dancers, while one of the host drums sings an opening song. This event is sacred in nature; some powwows do not allow filming or photography during this time, though others allow it.

If military veterans or active duty soldiers are present, they often carry the flags and eagle staffs. They are followed by the head dancers, then the remaining dancers usually enter the arena in a specific order: Men’s Traditional, Men’s Grass Dance, Men’s Fancy, Women’s Traditional, Women’s Jingle, and Women’s Fancy. Teens and small children then follow in the same order. Following the Grand Entry, the MC will invite a respected member of the community to give an invocation. The host drum that did not sing the Grand Entry song will then sing a Flag Song, followed by a Victory or Veterans’ Song, during which the flags and staffs are posted at the MC’s table.

I believe one of the things that captured the attention of our youth is the fact that there were people of all ages dancing. From infant to elderly all dressed in their traditional regalia. All in all it was a great time and a great experience and we definitely plan on attending again next year. It is a one of a kind experience.

Picture: Stacie Gilmore, Executive Director of ELK, with Julie Chavez Rodriquez (White House), Maite Arce and Michelle Neuenschwander (Hispanic Access Foundation)

I arrived home from my whirlwind trip to Washington, DC late last night. I was very tired, but also content. I am energized by the wonderful partnership ELK has developed with the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) and founder, Maite Arce, and her staff. They are doing important work around organizing and empowering local Latino leaders in 17 cities across the US. They are also strong, smart, and strategic women, which I love! I have to say before this trip I was a little anxious. I was going to be in DC for just a little over 24 hours, it seemed like a lot to accomplish in a little amount of time – but I did it! Thursday morning, October 6^th, started out very early. I woke at 5 am, but was dismayed when I got on my laptop to see that it was 3 am in Denver! I knew it was going to be a loooonnnggg day! The meeting with the White House and Julie Chavez Rodriquez, Associate Director for the White House, Office of Public Engagement was fantastic! We presented her with over 38 letters from HAF and ELK to support the full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. President Obama will acknowledge receipt of these letters, and that will be very rewarding for the ELK students!

After a working lunch (thanks, Andrea!), I headed over the National Park Service (NPS) to meet with George McDonald, Program Manager of the Youth Division, to talk about getting more ELK students employed with the NPS. George walked me around and introduced me to folks that could help ELK. Lo and behold, when I was handed a document, Pathways to Parks, there was a picture of ELK’s own Dwayne Smallwood and a group of ELK students! After that I was off to meet with Francisco Carrillo at the Department of Interior, along with Nate Hawley, Gayle, Jessica to talk about ELK and HAF. It was a very productive meeting, and then I headed straight to the airport to fly home! Our nation’s capital certainly knows about ELK! Building relationships and keeping them strong is what I do best, and I’m glad to be able to push the ELK mission forward. ELK students are depending on my staff and me, along with a great board and volunteers to help them achieve their dreams. We will DO IT!