Concrete Jungle:

The Effect of Environmental Integrated Learning on Youth

By: Amanda Godbold Payne, Interim Executive Director, Blue Sky Fund

In Richmond, Virginia we find ourselves surrounded by a vast concrete jungle similar to

most cities in the United States; however, right outside of our jungle sits nature in its purest

form. Nature is an important part of our lives and our children’s lives. But sadly, as our cities

grow so does our loss of nature, leading us to forget why she’s so important and how she can

affect our children. The environment plays a crucial part in our children’s development and can

be used to develop a framework for collaborative, student-centered, hands-on, engaged learning.

At Blue Sky Fund we strive to connect urban youth to the natural environment in our

region. Through our programs we have seen improvement in student academics as well as

development in leadership skills and community involvement among our children. Experience

with nature is beneficial to youth health and strengthens their academic abilities. According to

Hannah, an Outdoor Leadership Institute Alumni (OLI), “OLI made me more sure of who I am

and what I want in life, and that’s

something only this experience can give

you.”

The State Education and

Environment Roundtable conducted a

study to define the use of the

environment as an integrating context

(EIC) for education. The study Blue Sky Fund. (2019, January 17). Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/BlueSkyFund/photos/a.441322127537/10158060924147
showcased schools throughout the 538/?type=3&theater

nation that integrated EIC and showed that the benefits include: better performance within
academics in multiple fields, reduced discipline problems, increased engagement and a greater

pride in accomplishments. EIC programs are proven to help students learn beyond environmental

studies and showcase how beneficial it is for our youth to embrace nature. The North American

Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) performed another study of schools around

the United States. Much like the first study, the NAAEE found that environment-based education

is a natural way to integrate curriculum to students. The schools documented within the report

suggested that environmental-based learning holds great promise for furthering school’s

curriculum and creating active students.

Our organization challenges parents to encourage their children to engage in the world

around them. We provide multiple programs that allow youth of all ages to leave their urban

environments and interact with nature through hands-on SOL instruction.

Blue Sky Fund is a nonprofit organization (based in Richmond, Virginia) that strives to

connect urban children to the natural environment through four dynamic outdoor programs.