RSU 14 Students Create, Explore, and Learn at Maine Outdoor Learning Pavilion

Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, students from the Katahdin Program at RSU 14 (Windham Raymond School District) accessed the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Outdoor Learning Pavilion on Mackworth Island numerous times. While at the pavilion, these students worked on three different projects: building planter boxes for their hoop house at the Windham Community Garden; building picnic tables for several community partners; and building a 16-foot rowing dory in partnership with Sailing Ships Maine, to be used by students in the Katahdin Program.

“This space provided by the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative has been a great asset to students in the Katahdin Program,” Katahdin Head of School Rich Meserve said. “We used the indoor space on cold winter days and the outdoor pavilion when the spring weather arrived.”

Katahdin Program students building planter boxes

The Katahdin Program provides alternative education programming for students in
grades 9-12 who are enrolled in the RSU 14 school district. Community-based learning is a key
element of the Katahdin experience.

The Katahdin Program’s outdoor projects at the Maine Outdoor Learning Pavilion exemplify how students can practice civic engagement as part of their regular curriculum and also gain practical, real-world skills for life after high school.

“The Katahdin Program utilizes the outdoors as much as possible to tie in the
experiential and adventure-based programming that we provide to our students, while also connecting these projects to our classroom curriculum,” Katahdin special education teacher Paul Field said.

Dominic Siragusa, a junior at Windham High School who is enrolled in the Katahdin Program, noted, “The experience at the pavilion on Mackworth Island was great because doing hands-on projects really works for me.”

Katahdin Program students sanding the rowing dory

Throughout the winter, Katahdin Program students used the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative’s indoor space on Mackworth Island several days a week to begin the construction of their 16-foot rowing dory. This spring, they completed the sanding and finishing work of the dory outside under the pavilion.

“The process of building the dory was great for our students, and the space worked perfectly. Our students are excited to row in Casco Bay in a boat they built themselves from start to finish,” Field said.

In mid-June, staff and students from the Katahdin Program launched the dory. They will be able to use and maintain the boat for many years to come.

“It was really great for our students to be able to work on this project from the early planning stages all the way through to launching it,” Field expressed.

For more information about the RSU 14 Katahdin Program, please contact Rich Meserve at rmeserve@rsu14.org.

The Mackworth Island Outdoor Learning Pavilion is part of the Maine DOE’s Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative. The Initiative is delivered on a promise made by Governor Janet Mills during her 2022 State of the State address to provide children with more opportunities to learn about and explore Maine’s natural beauty and resources.

For more information about the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, please contact Jonathan Ross at Jonathan.j.ross@maine.gov.

MEDIA RELEASE: The Maine Department of Education Opens New Outdoor Learning Pavilion on Mackworth Island

The Maine Outdoor Learning Pavilion is the latest effort by the Maine Department of Education to support outdoor education in Maine.

FALMOUTH, Maine — On Wednesday, Nov. 6, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) unveiled the Maine Outdoor Learning Pavilion on Mackworth Island, marking another milestone in the push to combat pandemic-related learning loss through outdoor education.

The pavilion is the latest addition to the Maine DOE’s Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, which has connected more than 14,000 students to high-quality outdoor learning programs since 2021. This past summer, thousands of Maine students participated in more than 100 outdoor programs, from backpacking the Appalachian Trail to learning to sail to exploring nature-based careers.

“Outdoor learning is central to student engagement, health, and wellbeing” said Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin. “Since the summer of 2021, we’ve invested more than $11 million in the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative to provide students with highly-engaging outdoor and environmental learning opportunities.”

“Before last year, I thought that learning was meant for classrooms,” George, an eighth-grade student from Scarborough Middle School, said. “I realized how being outside can teach us so much, from hands-on learning to real-life scenarios. The outdoors was a great environment to learn. It provided plenty of fresh air, along with a break from sitting still. When we were outside, I felt happier and had more energy. When we came back inside, I was relaxed, focused, and ready to learn.”

The new facility unveiled on Wednesday, nestled in the woods at the center of Mackworth Island, features a pavilion and an adjacent lawn, designed to make outdoor education more accessible for Maine schools.

“The Maine Outdoor Learning Pavilion is a place where schools can bring students to make learning come alive,” Jonathan Ross, superintendent of the Acton School Department and Maine DOE Outdoor Learning Initiative Coordinator, said. “Maine schools can bring a class here, teach a lesson under the pavilion or inside where we will have desks and bathrooms, and then take that lesson onto the trails around the island.”

At Wednesday’s event, students and educators from Scarborough, South Portland, Biddeford, Wiscasset, and Acton schools shared their experiences with the Maine Outdoor Learning Program.

Photos of students are courtesy of the South Portland School Department.

Sarah, an eighth-grade student from Wiscasset Middle School, emphasized the program’s impact on her education.

“The biggest lessons that I learned last year were that learning is all around us, and the things that you can learn outdoors are so worthwhile,” she said. “Even if you think that you don’t need a break from your school day, going outside and giving your brain breaks is always helpful.”

Tabatha Frawkins, a science teacher at Biddeford Alternative Pathways Center, shared powerful feedback from parents about the program’s effectiveness. She said one parent told her, “The wilderness program gave me back my son and all his glory and gave my son back the confidence and the desire to attend school. He went on to attend leadership classes for his senior year and is on track to graduate.”

Wednesday’s event concluded with a nature-based scavenger hunt across the island, which Ross and the Maine DOE coordinated.

The Maine Outdoor Learning Pavilion was created using federal emergency relief funding as part of Maine’s Whole Student Pandemic Response and represents the Maine DOE’s broader commitment to outdoor education. For more information, please visit the Maine DOE Newsroom.

To reserve the pavilion, schools may reach out to Jonathan Ross at jonathan.j.ross@maine.gov.

Chewonki Campers Learn to Love and Protect Nature Through the Maine Outdoor Learning Program

As students returned to school this year, organizations large and small across Maine breathed a happy, yet tired, sigh of relief as they wrapped up their summer programs for the year, reflecting on the outcomes for students and staff.

Sixty-six non-profit organizations across the state that participated in Governor Mills’ “Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative,” a dedicated effort to increase student access to hands-on outdoor learning experiences and career exploration. In 2022, Governor Mills stated her intention to invest in outdoor education in Maine. Since then, the Maine Department of Education has provided grant funding through the American Rescue Plan Act for more than 4,000 Maine students to participate in a wide variety of outdoor learning experiences between May and September.

Chewonki, an environmental education organization based in Wiscasset, participated in the initiative and was home to 50 Maine students in grades 8-12, arriving from thirty-nine different Maine towns to embark on two-week camping trips by canoe, sea kayak, or on foot.

“It’s not like it looks on Instagram,” said Director of Outdoor Programs Jen Adams. “On a two-week backcountry experience, there’s always a transformative or ‘Ah-ha!’ moment as the participant goes from thinking this will be easy, and then it gets difficult, and then they learn how to dig deep into their physical and emotional reserves, and they come away with something really special – a belief they can work with a team and overcome challenges.”

“On the surface, our programming is straightforward,” says Adams. It spans 2-5 weeks of exploring Maine’s amazing trails and waterways, building outdoor living skills, and learning about nature and stewardship. “But it’s ultimately about community and learning what it means to forge those social skills to live with ten other people for twenty-four hours a day for two weeks, where you can’t just quit or walk away,” he adds.

According to Adams, a vital benefit of the experience is learning to communicate and work together with groups of strangers- a valuable life skill in education, the workforce, and beyond. “On these trips… of course, they have to get to certain places on a schedule, but that’s not really the point,” says Adams. “Students arrive from very different households and families, different incomes, different identities, and ideas, and we have to find ways to jam all of these people in a group and make it an inclusive and welcoming place to be.”

Adams describes the practice of building a group “community agreement” at the beginning, symbolized by a string of self-designed flags that the students carry with them and display at each campsite along their journey. “It’s facilitated by the trip leaders who brainstorm with the group, asking questions like, ‘What do we want to be part of our community?’ and ‘What don’t we want in our community?’ We then combine all the different ideas to find the best way to express them, whether through pictures or in writing.”

Alongside the skill development of learning to handle watercraft, navigate from maps, outdoor cooking, and camping, students gain instruction and often excitement around Leave-no-trace camping ethics, discovering just how many public camping and recreation spaces are available to them in Maine.

“A term we use a lot is “a sense of place,” meaning the way the student understands their relationship to the place they’re in, but also understanding all the complex interactions between natural systems, human systems, and the responsibility we have to steward both,” says Adams. “With students who don’t have a lot of outdoor experience, we have to start by getting them excited on the social-emotional level about being out in nature and feeling confident in their skills, then we can engage them at the educational level so they start to understand the ecosystems they’re traveling through, and that often leads to an enduring passion to protect and steward the natural world.”

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Adams describes the delight the trip leaders feel as the teens start to take pride in leaving a campsite better than they found it, “…picking up little bits of carrot, or having intense discussions about how food scraps impact the wildlife. It can be difficult for people to get excited about conservation ‘in general’ but once you have a favorite river, or trail, or beach, or campsite, it becomes something you care about your whole life, and come to share the love of that place with others you may never meet.”

The Chewonki trip leaders have also commented on how excited they were to work with these local Maine students. “I’ve never had such an enthusiastic group of students paddle down the Allagash River,” said Chewonki Trip Leader Jed Breen. “Each and every one of them wanted to be here, and it showed.”

Chewonki staff have turned their sights toward the next season, looking for the next step to keep these students engaged with outdoor recreation and education. “We deeply appreciate Governor Mills and the Maine Department of Education for making this programming possible,” says Chewonki president Nancy Kennedy. “We’re encouraging all the students who came to a summer program through the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative to keep going! There are excellent school-year organizations and clubs where students can take what they’ve learned this year and continue to build on it.”

“Once you realize all that Maine has to offer- for everyone- you’ll never want to turn back,” says Kennedy. “The outdoors is for everyone.”

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative was created with Federal Emergency Relief Funding and is a part of Maine’s Whole Student Pandemic Response. Please visit the Maine DOE Website to learn more about Whole Student Pandemic Response and the many other programs that make it up.

Over 100 Maine Students and Teacher Spend a Weekend Camping with Teens to Trails

This past spring, 100+ students and teachers joined Teens to Trails for their annual Adventure Bound weekend, a free camping and white-water rafting experience at Adventure Bound, a youth and family group whitewater rafting and outdoor recreation center in Caratunk, Maine on the Kennebec River. Participants could enjoy this trip at no cost because of the Maine Department of Education (DOE), Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, a program designed to engage more Maine students with outdoor learning and make outdoor experiences more accessible. This initiative was inspired by a promise in Governor Mills’ 2022 State of the State Address to provide students with more opportunities like the Whitewater Kayaking Camp, where kids can go outside and engage with Maine’s natural beauty.

On Friday night, the first night of the trip, participants from different schools had the chance to get to know each other through campfires, dinner, and fun icebreakers. Sam Andrews, Teens to Trails’ Program Manager, led a group conga line as well as a favorite camp game called Bob the Weasel. In this game, one person stands alone. The rest form a circle and pass a banana around while singing, “Bob the Weasel, keep it going, keep it going.” It is up to the person inside the circle to guess who has the banana, and the game almost always results in good-natured laughter.

The next day, the students enjoyed a full day of activities, including volleyball, paddle boarding, canoeing, climbing, swinging on the ropes course, hiking to Moxie Falls, and whitewater rafting. The wide variety of offerings allowed students to choose activities in their comfort zone; however, many felt encouraged to try new things and learn from their experiences. Since whitewater rafting was new to many, the students learned basic paddling skills from Adventure Bound staff. After learning the basics, students took on the challenge of paddling in white water with the help of skilled guides.

“I was incredibly nervous, but I’m glad I did it,” said a 12th-grade student from Belfast High School.

While students were out enjoying activities, teachers had the opportunity to network with other colleagues who are outdoor club leaders. Many reported it was amazing for them to see their students challenge themselves, bond with others, and enjoy nature.

On the final night, Teens to Trails’ Youth Advisory Council members led the annual s’mores contest, which included some creative confections from the students. Some combinations included a toasted banana, chocolate, marshmallow, and caramel s’more, as well as a raspberry, chocolate-covered pretzel, and marshmallow s’more. One student even created an Oreo-wheeled s’mores truck.

The joy and energy of spending a weekend outdoors and unplugged are experiences many will remember fondly. Students and teachers reported feeling connected, inspired, and excited to return to Adventure Bound with their Outdoor Clubs for many years to come.

Twelve school communities were able to attend, including Mt. Abram High School, Dirigo High School, Maine Academy of Natural Sciences, Houlton High School, Ecology Learning Center, Westbrook High School, Edward Little High School, Wiscasset Middle High School, Mountain Valley High School, Marshwood High School, Belfast Area High School, and John Bapst High School.

Thanks to the Maine DOE Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, Teens to Trails, and Adventure Bound, the positive feelings, memorable adventures, and skills learned throughout the weekend will last a lifetime.

“One of my students wants to become a rafting guide now,” added Brian Davis, a Science Teacher at Westbrook High School

Registration links for future trips will be included in Teens to Trails’ school newsletters and on their Facebook, Instagram, and website.

Maine’s Outdoor learning Initiative Inspires a Newfound Love of Nature for 90 Lisbon Students

Ninety 7th-grade Lisbon Middle School students recently took a trip to Hurricane Island. This trip was free for all students, thanks to the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, a Maine Department of Education (DOE) grant that provides funding for middle and high school students in Maine to have outdoor learning opportunities in areas such as marine biology, ecology, and exploration. The initiative also allows Maine students to explore outdoor career fields with trained professionals.

On the trip, students explored tidal pool ecosystems, dissected scallops, and completed a raft-building challenge. Additionally, almost half of the students opted to take a 5 a.m. sunrise hike on the island. Students wanted to make the most of every moment on the trip.

“I loved seeing my students actively exploring the natural world around them,” said Deb Antl, the coordinating teacher. “Their genuine excitement and curiosity about the ocean, its plants, and animals was amazing. Not once did they ask for a phone or complain about not having access to technology. They were fully enveloped by the nature around them.”

Many discussions were had on the trip about the importance of preserving the environment and the role that each individual plays in sustaining the ecosystem, including learning about sustainable methods of ocean farming and why responsible aquaculture is growing as an industry. The 7th graders are now inspired to help their school community learn to responsibly compost next year. Additionally, students are now eager to learn more about other forms of aquaculture and meet other farmers—some even are inspired to pursue a career in aquaculture/farming.

From their first time on a boat, an island, seeing the stars, and spending the night in a cabin, Lisbon students were overjoyed with the beauty and exploration opportunities on Hurricane Island. The students were truly grateful for the experience and expressed that gratitude by writing thank-you letters to the Hurricane Island staff.

The Maine DOE’s Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative allowed students, some of whom would otherwise not have been able, to explore and connect with the resources available in their own state.

Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative Helps Students Learn to White Water Kayak

Six students, ranging from grades 8th to 12th, participated in an Introduction to Whitewater Kayaking Camp offered by the Main Street Skowhegan Organization. Thanks to the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, these students could participate in the experience at no cost to them.

Of the students attending the Whitewater Kayaking Camp, half had participated last year, and half were entirely new to whitewater paddling. The camp was led by expert Ben Koehler, who serves as the program coordinator and has ten years of river guiding and kayak instruction experience. Wasting no time, the students took straight to the water, spending most of their trip in the river. A typical day of camp consisted of driving to the Kennebec River, putting on gear, getting into boats, and riding the currents as they developed their new skills. They would run ‘good rapids’ for practice only, then hike back upriver to repeat them.

On the first day, all students were in duckies, which are inflatable sit-on-top kayaks with good stability and maneuverability. On the second day, after repeating the skills learned the prior day in duckies, students graduated to whitewater kayaks, in which the kayaker sits inside the boat with a skirt (material that covers the inside of the boat).

“One student was apprehensive to get into a kayak, so the staff helped her by letting her use a funded pack raft, which is an inflated boat that one sits in without a skirt. The funded pack raft was a good bridge between a duckie and a kayak. Practicing on the inflatable raft helped build the student’s confidence in paddling and being on the water. Another student in the camp mastered the ability to roll a kayak in whitewater, which is a big step towards becoming an expert at whitewater kayaking,” said Koehler.

At the end of the week, all six students could successfully kayak the lower-class III section of the Kennebec River, which is remarkable considering that three of them were brand new to the activity.

Ducky

Main Street Skowhegan, an organization dedicated to revitalizing historic Skowhegan, hosted the camp. The organization has an impressive collection of outdoor gear that Somerset County residents can rent at no cost. Their partnership with the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative allowed them to expand their gear and provide cost-free programs, like their white water rafting camp. Main Street Skowhegan will continue to offer white water camps and clinics throughout the summer. More information can be found on their website.

Register for Main Street Skowhegan’s White Water Camps

Carrabec Students Trek the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Thanks to Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative

In June, Seven Carrabec High School students joined a Teens to Trails intern and registered Maine Guide Tammy Long on a 30-mile canoe trip along the Northern Forest Canoe Trail on Flagstaff Lake. On this three-day trip, participants navigated the waters via canoe, camped on remote islands, and prepared food over a campfire. Thanks to the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, the trip and necessary gear were free for all participants.

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative is a program created by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) to engage Maine students with outdoor learning and make outdoor experiences more accessible. The Initiative was inspired by a promise made in Governor Mills’ 2022 State of the State Address to provide students with more opportunities like Carrabec’s canoe trip. The students on the trip were from Long’s Outdoor Leadership Class, taught at Carrabec High School.Long is a registered Maine guide and is extremely enthusiastic about sharing her expertise with students. She is also thankful that she has the skills and knowledge to help them stay safe on trips in remote areas. While Long noted that some of the students had prior canoe experience or had been on a trip with her before, none of them had ever embarked on a three-day, 30-mile paddling trip.

Before embarking on the trip, students were taught extended canoeing skills in an Outdoor Leadership class with Guide Tammy Long. Even for those who did have prior canoeing experience, this trip was challenging.

However, the students accepted the challenge and grew more confident in their canoeing abilities while enjoying the beauty of Flagstaff Lake.

“The highlight for me was when the students stopped holding their phones over their heads ‘looking’ for service and simply relented to the fact that they were unconnected,” remarked Long. “After three days, they couldn’t stop talking about how good it felt.”

Long said she also hopes students will continue to cherish outdoor experiences in our unique state and that they spend more time away from screens.

“I hope to continue being able to take students on extensive canoe trips like this one, and I am very thankful for the grant money provided by the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, said Long.

Lincoln Academy Students are Building a Greenhouse to Support Their Free Summer Program

(The Lincoln Academy edLab students who built the greenhouse deck and foundation to support their outdoor learning space.)

The greenhouse will be a part of Lincoln Academy’s Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative program, LA Launch.

Lincoln Academy’s edLab students have been building a greenhouse to support the school’s new LA Launch Program. This free summer program, funded by the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, will support rising 9th graders preparing to enter high school.

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative is a statewide effort to increase access to engaging, hands-on outdoor experiences and career exploration for middle and high school students throughout the state. The initiative, created by the Maine Department of Education, was born from a promise made during Governor Mills’ 2022 State of the State Address to provide children with more opportunities to get outside and engage with Maine’s natural beauty following the pandemic.

Students in edLab, Lincoln’s alternative education program, took the lead on the construction project with the help of edLab Director Jody Matta and their teachers. As part of the project, edLab teachers and students researched the town of Newcastle zoning process and received guidance from Town Planner Michael Martone. Students prepared and applied for the building permit. With assistance from the facilities department at Lincoln Academy, edLab students wrestled with the many rocks at the site and dug the foundation area. Along with the base for the Maine Garden Products greenhouse, they also built a deck to be used as an outdoor education space.

“It was a great opportunity for us to learn about the process involved in constructing a new building,” said edLab student Ariel Cowan. “It is information that we will be able to use in the future.”

“Our students worked hard on the greenhouse project, and I am proud of their work,” said Matta. “We look forward to utilizing the greenhouse as a learning space in the future.”

High school students sit at a metal table covered in oyster shells, paper, clipboards, pens and plastic gloves. Some students are inspecting the oysters while others write on their clipboards. — As part of the LA Launch program, students will learn about oyster aquaculture at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center.

The LA Launch program is designed to support students as they transition to high school and help them connect with Lincoln Academy while they learn more about their community and the importance of connection in a marine ecosystem.

“The greenhouse is a great resource that will allow LA Launch participants to explore and experiment, which will supplement our field trips to meet with community members and learn more about fishing, aquaculture, boatbuilding, and outdoor recreation,” said Lincoln Academy’s Director of Applied Learning Maya Crosby.

Crosby worked with Heather D’Ippolito, Lincoln Academy’s Director of Community Engagement and Development, to build the LA Launch program and apply for the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative funding. Lincoln Academy was one of more than 60 organizations that received funding through the Maine DOE grant, thanks to an expansion of the program announced by the governor.

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grant covers participants’ transportation and the school is providing lunch. Families interested in enrolling their rising ninth graders in LA Launch should reach out to the program director, Andrew Jonash, at jonash@lincolnacademy.org or visit the Summer at Lincoln Academy page.

Sign Up for the Free Summer Launch Program Here

Maine Garden Products will deliver the greenhouse in mid-July and place it on the prepared base. The project will be completed by the end of July, before the LA Launch program starts in August.

If you live outside the Lincoln Academy district or want an alternative summer program, check out the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative’s search program table. Over a hundred free summer programs are happening all over the state!

Bucksport Eighth Graders Unplug and Help Out During Camping Trip at Birch Point Beach State Park

(Bucksport eighth graders had the opportunity to watch the aurora borealis over the ocean.)

This May, eighth graders from Bucksport Middle School left the screens behind for a weekend of learning and service at Birch Point Beach State Park in Owls Head. Miles Bisher, Bucksport Middle School’s social studies teacher and outdoor club advisor, brought his students out as part of the Teens to Trails’ Life Happens Outside® Challenge, one of the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative’s 2024 programs.

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative is a state-wide effort to increase access to engaging, hands-on outdoor experiences and career exploration for middle and high school students throughout the state. Since its creation in 2022, the program has brought thousands of students on outdoor adventures inspired by educators like Bisher.

“When I was in high school, my outing club advisor took our club on extended camping trips, and those experiences had a profound impact on my life by exposing me to new experiences outside with peers, in settings that would challenge me physically and mentally, and allow me to grow as a person and develop some resiliency and adaptability in the face of adversity. I wanted to offer a similar experience to my 8th graders,” explained Bisher. “Additionally, the prevalence of screen time and phone/social media usage for teens has skyrocketed, while teen time spent outside and synchronous, in-person time with friends has plummeted, and I wanted to show students the innumerable benefits of flipping those two trends.

Teens to Trails Program Manager Samantha Andrews accompanied the group from Bucksport on their trip. Teens to Trails is a nonprofit organization whose mission is “connecting Maine teens to life-changing experiences.” Their Life Happens Outside® Challenge is a weeklong competition for middle school communities. To compete in the challenge, students track every minute spent outside – whether on a dedicated trip like Bisher planned or doing everyday actions like walking the dog or taking out the trash. The challenge takes place May 10-17, and at the end of the week, the eight schools with the most outside minutes logged win $1,000 to apply to future outdoor activities.

“Teens to Trails hears from healthcare experts, parents, and teachers that teenagers feel better on the inside when they spend time outside,” said Executive Director Alicia Heyburn in a recent press release. “We heard so many amazing stories from students and faculty about the positive impact spending a week outdoors can have.”

Bucksport students were a testament to this effort: “I felt like I didn’t need my phone even after we left and felt better and more in the present,” said one student. It made me feel so much better. I felt more energized and like I had time to do things again,” said another. I had some of the best nights of sleep I’ve had in a long time.”

This is Teens to Trails’ first year working with the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, and the Challenge is just one of four free programs they are offering students. The initiative, created by the Maine Department of Education, was born from a promise made during Governor Mill’s 2022 State of the State Address to provide children with more opportunities to learn about and explore Maine’s natural beauty and resources after two years of the pandemic.

“Teens to Trails and Bucksport Middle School are grateful to Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative for supporting a student opportunity to enjoy a weekend of coastal camping. The experience also marked the first overnight trip for this great group of middle schoolers,” said Jennifer Hazard

Students explore the woods on Owls Head.

Two students snuggled up for their first night of camping.

Students are silhouetted playing on the beach at sunset.

Students enjoyed the sunset over Birch Point Beach.

Bucksport students arrive for their camping trip.

One student explores a small cave.

During their trip, Bucksport Middle School students worked together to complete many important projects, such as cleaning up debris on Birch Point Beach State Park’s trails, replacing picnic tables, and burning branches off fallen trees. There were also opportunities for fun, such as exploring Owls Head Lighthouse and hiking Mt. Megunticook. Students were even lucky enough to watch the colors of the Northern Lights reflect over the water. Experts from the Maine Bureau of Parks & Land visited on Saturday evening to teach students about the solar system and constellations and allowed them to see the moon through a high-power telescope.

When asked about their favorite parts of the trip, students most noted their appreciation for being away from technology and, of course, the best part of any camping trip: s’mores.

“The air in the morning with the ocean a bit away and the smores and the energy that came along with it,” one student told Bisher about their favorite part of the trip.

Another noted, “It was probably one of the best camping experiences that someone could experience. I felt like I always had something fun going on, and it was nice talking to people I usually wouldn’t.”

Bucksport middle schoolers can identify the importance of engaging with nature. “Outdoor experiences like this are important for teenagers because they don’t realize how fun or relaxing it is to do these things until they actually do it,” explained one student, “we are constantly on our phones and so disconnected from the real world. Most kids don’t get to have that experience.”

Bisher agrees with the sentiment: “Outdoor education and experiences are not just important but absolutely critical for the holistic development of children and adolescents. Kids need to take risks, be challenged, face and overcome adversity, learn to be adaptable and flexible, disconnect from screens and the online world, and reconnect with the physical world of nature with their friends. Everything is more real and authentic outside, and students need that, now more than ever.”

There are still dozens of free Maine Outdoor Learning programs happening this summer. If you or a student you know is looking for a fun way to spend the summer outside, please visit our searchable program table by tapping or clicking here.

Media Release: Governor Mills Announces Major Expansion of Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative

$6.6 million investment will provide 4,000 students with access to free afterschool and summer outdoor learning and career exploration programs

Governor Janet Mills today announced a significant expansion of her Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative that will provide thousands of middle and high school students with access to free outdoor learning and career exploration programs this summer and fall.

Launched by Governor Mills in 2022, the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative is a statewide effort to connect Maine’s young people to the outdoors through engaging, hands-on learning opportunities. In its first two years, more than 2,500 students have participated in programs ranging from hiking and kayaking to farming and forestry.

The $6.6 million expansion – utilizing federal funds – will now provide roughly 4,000 students across Maine with access to more than 100 afterschool and summer programs between now and the fall. The expansion triples the total amount of funding invested in the Initiative over last two years.

“In just two years, the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative has helped thousands of Maine students to experience different parts of our beautiful state, develop a lifelong love of nature, and learn knowledge and skills that will help them succeed academically. This expansion will allow even more students to benefit from this extraordinary program,” said Governor Janet Mills. “I thank the many partners across Maine for their hard work to make these experiential learning opportunities possible.”

“The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative offers hands-on, enriching, highly engaging opportunities that allow Maine students to explore and learn from the great outdoors,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “These opportunities connect students with Maine’s natural beauty, build leadership skills, allow them to work in groups, and support their wellbeing. We thank all of the schools and organizations that stepped up to grow this exciting initiative.”

The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative was developed by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) at the direction of Governor Mills, delivering on a promise made during her 2022 State of the State Address to provide children with more opportunities to learn about and explore Maine’s natural beauty and resources after two years of the pandemic. The program has prioritized participation by students from low-income families from regions of Maine where access does not typically exist for such programs.

Students have explored clam flats, operated forestry machinery, camped on islands, built boats, kayaked along Maine’s coasts and in the state’s lakes and rivers, worked alongside maritime and forestry workers, learned about scallop farming, and developed outdoor leadership skills while hiking through the woods, and much more.

Some of the 100 programs made available by the expansion include backpacking trips along the Appalachian Trail offered by the Chewonki Foundation, sailing opportunities with Sailing Ships Maine, and a science career exploration program offered by the Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education, among others. The Biddeford, Saco, and Dayton School Departments will offer kayaking, hiking, and ocean exploration opportunities for New Mainers and unhoused youth. Sixty-four schools and community organizations received Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grants.

“Chewonki is thrilled and honored to take part in the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative. Maine is home to amazing landscapes and a rich outdoor heritage that presents a world of opportunity for our children. Yet far too many of those children lack access to meaningful outdoor education and outdoor recreation programs. This initiative opens the door to invaluable learning experiences for our youth. Together, we can foster the next generation of Maine students who will cherish the woods, waves, waters, and trails of our state, who can see themselves engaging meaningfully in our outdoor economy, building their families and careers here, and who will always feel proud to be part of such a wonderful place to live,” said Nancy Kennedy, Acting President of the Chewonki Foundation.

“This grant will allow us to provide a team of students with an outdoor education experience intertwined with their classroom learning in English, science, and math. Our grant also includes an educator component, which gives our middle school teachers an opportunity this summer to spend time writing a unit for the 2024-2025 school year that integrates outdoor education experiences. I believe this opportunity will ultimately prove to be a benefit to all of our middle school students in Scarborough Public Schools,” said Katie Vetro, Director of Curriculum and Assessment of Scarborough Public Schools.

“The Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative enables us to provide mentorship, hands-on learning, and outdoor adventure to youth who would not otherwise have access to these opportunities. Students are already looking forward to a summer of hiking, paddling, gardening, citizen science, service learning, and career exploration,” said David Wessels, Belfast High School Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator.

Maine DOE has launched a new Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative portal to help families easily access available programs and identify opportunities for their children to participate. All programs are at no cost to families, include free transportation, and are designed for students who face economic or other barriers to experiencing high-quality outdoor learning experiences.

The Outdoor Learning Initiative is paid for through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Program funds received from the US Department of Education. The Initiative is complimented by the Maine Career Exploration Program, a $25 million initiative of the Governor’s Maine Jobs & Recovery Program to connect teenagers and young adults to high-quality paid work experiences across the state. Since its launch in October 2022, the program has engaged more than 2,700 participants in paid work experiences.