Thorne Ecological Institute

THORNE'S MISSION IS TO BUILD EARTH STEWARDSHIP BY CONNECTING YOUTH TO NATURE THROUGH JOYFUL, HANDS-ON, PLACE-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCES.

CORE PROGRAMS: THORNE ACCOMPLISHES ITS MISSION THROUGH THREE CORE PROGRAMS THAT PRIMARILY SERVE BOULDER COUNTY YOUTH: SCHOOL PROGRAMS - ANNUALLY ENGAGES 8,500+ STUDENTS THROUGH CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS, FIELD TRIPS, AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT ACADEMIC LEARNING AND BUILD NATURE CONNECTION. THORNE'S IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM EXPANDS STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE IN THE AREAS OF SCIENCE AND LITERACY THROUGH A THREE-CLASS SERIES OF LESSONS THAT INVOLVE INTERACTIVE EXPLORATIONS, INQUIRY-BASED EXPERIMENTS, AND WRITING A PICTURE BOOK. THE FULL-DAY NATURE FIELD TRIP TO A LOCAL OPEN SPACE AREA UTILIZES FUN, HANDS-ON, PLACE-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCES TO TEACH NATURAL SCIENCE CONCEPTS AND FOSTER EMPATHY FOR OTHER LIVING THINGS. THORNE'S IMMERSIVE 12-WEEK AFTER- SCHOOL PROGRAM ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO DEEPEN THEIR CONNECTION TO NATURE BY EXPLORING IN AND AROUND THEIR SCHOOLYARD WITH EXPERIENCED NATURE MENTORS. SUMMER CAMP - ANNUALLY PROVIDES 1,100+ YOUTH AGES 5-15 WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE LOCAL GRASSLAND, EVERGREEN FOREST, AND WETLAND HABITATS WITH AN EXPERIENCED NATURE MENTOR. AT THE 2 WEEK-LONG CAMP, CHILDREN ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAP INTO THE SPIRIT OF PLAY AND FOLLOW THEIR OWN UNIQUE INTERESTS WHILE STAFF SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATE LEARNING FROM THE LESSONS THAT ABOUND WITHIN NATURE'S CLASSROOM. ECE PROGRAMS - ANNUALLY ENGAGES 100+ YOUTH AGES 3-6 IN A UNIQUE PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCE (SCHOOL YEAR AND/OR SUMMER) THAT FOSTERS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WHOLE-CHILD AND NATURE CONNECTION THROUGH DAILY IMMERSION IN NATURE WITH CARING, ATTENTIVE MENTORS. IN ADDITION, 200+ YOUTH AGES 2 AND UP AND THEIR FAMILIES PARTICIPATE IN A LIL-EXPLORERS PARENT AND CHILD PROGRAM WHICH IS DESIGNED TO BUILD THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND INTEREST NEEDED TO FOSTER A LIFELONG LOVE OF NATURE EXPLORATION FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. EQUITY: IT IS THORNE'S GOAL THAT ALL BOULDER COUNTY YOUTH REGARDLESS OF RACE, ETHNICITY, AND INCOME HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH NATURE. TO THIS END, THORNE'S NATURE FOR ALL INITIATIVE PROVIDES MORE THAN 700,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND PROGRAM SUBSIDIES EACH YEAR. COLLABORATION: THORNE INVESTS SIGNIFICANTLY IN COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS, INCLUDING SERVING AS THE BACKBONE ORGANIZATION FOR TWO COLLECTIVE IMPACT PROGRAMS. NATURE KIDS/JOVENES DE LA NATURALEZA (NKJN) - A 20-ORGANIZAITON EFFORT TO PROVIDE 1.5 MILLION PLUS ANNUALLY IN PRE-K TO HIGH SCHOOL, BACKYARD TO BACKCOUNTRY, AND FAMILY INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAMMING TO UNDERSERVED LAFAYETTE AND BOULDER YOUTH. NKJN HAS ALSO HELPED TO BUILD MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION IN PARKS AND TRAILS TO ENSURE ALL LAFAYETTE YOUTH LIVE WITHIN A SAFE 10-MINUTE WALK TO NATURE. DURING 2024, THE NKJN PROGRAM WILL BEGIN EXPANSION INTO THE CITY OF LONGMONT. E-MOVEMENT - A COLLECTIVE OF 40 NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS, AND BUSINESSES WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO ADVANCE BEST PRACTICES FROM THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND ENSURE A COORDINATED APPROACH TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING A SCAFFOLDED, WHOLE-CHILD CONTINUUM OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMING AT COMMUNITY SCALE.