Vida Verde Nature Education
Environmental Education... Social Justice

Free Outdoor Education Trips for “At-Risk” Youth

MISSION STATEMENT

Vida Verde Nature Education is a non-profit/social profit, environmental education center. It provides free, outdoor, overnight study trips for at-risk youth of the San Francisco Bay Area. Our goal is to plant, in the students, a seed of commitment to the natural world through experiential programs in organic farming, ecology, cooking and sustainable living.

Vida Verde and Venture Vida Verde’s new home site is Venture Retreat Center and the kids love coming here! We give special thanks to Venture for doing what they do to make our program and the students welcome here. Venture Retreat Center is now part of achieving the V.V. mission! We’re usually here with students on Mondays and Tuesdays, primarily during the school year. The teepees, goat pasture, picnic tables, fire circle, outdoor classroom, and mini barn that you may notice around the site have been constructed by V.V. volunteers and staff and were placed here for students of Vida Verde. Other Venture guests are more than welcome to use these facilities, and we ask that you help take special care. As soon as you help out, you’re magically part of V.V.!

Educational Programs
All programs meet California State Academic Standards for grades 3-6

Goat Milking and Cheese Making:
Students are introduced to exciting facts about mammals and basic goat anatomy and terminology. Each student gets the chance to milk our goat and make cheese together as a group, then enjoy the delicious cheese for dinner! Important connections are made to our everyday use of dairy products and our dependence on them.

Nature Hike, Wild Plant Cycles, and Leaf Identification:
On an exciting guided hike through the forest and along Butano Creek, students will find evidence of the genius of nature’s cycles, learn basic animal tracking techniques, appreciate the beauty of their surroundings on a guided “alone” hike and learn to identify many native and invasive plants.

Natural Fibers All Around You:
Students will meet our friendly sheep Edna and Lucille, and will learn about our dependence on all kinds of plant and animal fibers for clothes, blankets, rope and much more!. They will get to try their hands at spinning wool and weaving, and will take home their own special weaving project.

Gardening/ Planting Your Own Mini- Garden at Home:
Students will discuss all the ways that humans are dependent on plants, from clothes to homes to food and more! They will learn the basic steps and needs for growing plants. They will mix potting soil, plant seeds, and tour our organic farm (with as much tasting as possible!) Students will leave equipped with the knowledge it takes to start growing their own plants at home.

Design Your Own Class Project:
Vida Verde Nature Education is open to and willing to support any proposed teacher, class, or school projects.

Costs

All programs are offered free of charge, and are solely for students who would not otherwise get the chance to participate in outdoor education.

Grade Levels

Our programs are designed for 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. We serve one class at a time.

Donations Make the Difference!

Vida Verde is entirely funded by donations from generous individuals, foundations and corporations. $150 sponsors one student’s trip to Vida Verde. Please contact us if you’d like to make a donation.

Overnight Trips

All groups stay at Vida Verde for two OR three days (1 or 2 nights). Groups will be able to participate in at least two of our programs, guided beach and tidepool explorations, a campfire, a nighttime trust walk and teepee camping. Groups are responsible for bringing some of their own food, and the group will prepare the food as part of the program.

For more information please visit our website or contact us using the information below.

Office:
1043 Tunitas Creek Road
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
650-726-9210
www.Vveducation.org
Email Us
Laura Dickerson & Shawn Sears

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“My favorite experience was milking the goat because at first I was really scared, but then everyone convinced me to do it. I also liked the campfire and sleeping in the teepees because it was my first time doing that. I’ve never been on a camping trip or had a campfire!”
— Joseline Diaz, age 12

Vida Verde Nature Education for Kids

“The Programs blended nicely with what we’ve been studying and focusing on in our classroom. Everything they experienced reinforced
what I’ve been encouraging!”
— Rachel Porzig,
4th grade teacher,
Cesar Chavez Elementary, Richmond, CA

“My favorite part was the night walk because we got to see a lot of stars! I got to see the Big Dipper and I have never seen it before.”
— Haadim Sou, age 10

Vida Verde Nature Education Environmental Education... Social Justice