Bringing Learning to Life
Our Outdoor Credit Recovery program brings learning to life for youth through nature-based exploration and academic opportunities set in a classroom without walls.
Co-led by licensed teachers and Wilderness Inquiry Outdoor Leaders, Outdoor Credit Recovery helps students earn academic credit through multi-day, hands-on, place-based exploration and learning outside at nearby parks, green spaces, and more.
Designed to enhance the summer school model, the program supports social-emotional learning (SEL) and academic development of high school youth while helping them remain on track to graduate and introducing them to outdoor recreation career opportunities. Additionally, Outdoor Credit Recovery provides support to teachers and districts to meet students where they are at and provides an alternative learning environment that makes students happier, healthier, and smarter.
As communities around the country work to bridge opportunity gaps in academic achievement and outdoor accessibility, Wilderness Inquiry’s Outdoor Credit Recovery program provides a solution to address both.
Academic areas of focus include:
- STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)
- Physics
- History
- Geography
- English Language Arts
Program Impact
In addition to recovering academic credits, youth who participated in Outdoor Credit Recovery reported gains in SEL growth.
Based on researchers’ findings that outdoor learning improves student performance, increases participation in science learning, strengthens attention, and positively impacts STEM career motivation (Dhanapal et al, 2013; Chawla et al, 2014; Hiller et al, 2014), Wilderness Inquiry meets patterns of unequal access to provide high-quality education and career outlook opportunities.
100%
of students made gains in one or more Outdoor SEL areas
100%
of students made gains in one or more Core SEL areas
94%
overall program satisfaction reported by participants
