Aug

10

(Childhood Obesity News) Outdoor educators pushing for 'No Child Left Inside' funding - USA Today

Filed Under Childhood Obesity News | Leave a Comment

Outdoor and environmental educators across the nation are ramping up pressure on Congress and their state lawmakers to add funding for nature learning. The effort dubbed “No Child Left Inside” could mean millions more for environmental education — and a major windfall for nonprofits hoping for more federal help getting kids outside. The resolution, which awaits a vote in the House, would send money to nonprofits and state departments of education for outdoor education aimed at kids who now spend more time in front of computer screens, video games and televisions than playing outside. Osborn is one of a dozen or so kids on a week-long outdoor camp run by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a nonprofit group that works to clean up the nation’s largest estuary. Though Sarbanes is a freshman lawmaker, and he concedes there’s not much time left before Congress’ terms ends to steer the resolution through to passage, he said he’s optimistic his proposal will clear at the least the House before returning next term. At the Sibley Nature Center, a 49-acre nature preserve in west Texas, executive director Burr Williams has two nature teachers but wants to hire more, and build a corral and barn to hold live animals. Read Childhood Obesity

Technorati Tags: , , , , , ,