Program areas at NCI
Mountain school - this program is an immersive environmental education program for 5th grade classes that has been serving regional schools since 1990. Through hands-on interdisciplinary activities, students are connected to the natural and cultural history of our region, form connections with their classmates and the environment, and sharpen their understanding of their own identities. In spring 2022, the Institute continued mountain school: choose your own adventure, a hybrid program that offered students and teachers from 25 schools in whatcom and skagit counties a virtual session followed by a day trip to either the environmental learning center or whatcom falls park in bellingham. In fall 2022, we returned to the full overnight program for the first time since the pandemic began and piloted our newly-redesigned curriculum, a project that began in 2018. Despite challenging late-season wildfires, 12+ schools participated. In 2022, there were 2,125 participants and 3,487 learner days.
Youth leadership - this program engages local teens in 9-day backpacking and canoe camping trips in North Cascades national park. In addition to outdoor skills, yla focuses on leadership skills, team building, and climate change solutions, giving students the knowledge and tools they need to become stewards of the natural world and engage in community advocacy. Opportunities for engagement after the summer include youth for people and the environment (yep!) In partnership with resources. In 2022, the Institute offered six trips (three canoe-camping, three backpacking) for 44 participants. In 2022, there were 48 participants (yla and yep!) And 444 learner days.
Connections - this program provides whatcom county students opportunities to explore, learn, and connect with each other outdoors near their school. Connections started during the school closures in 2020 when nonprofits banded together to address academic inequities magnified by the pandemic, and continues to address community needs as in-person learning returns. Through providing locally-focused outdoor education for all k-6 students in the rural mount baker and blaine school districts, connections fosters environmental stewardship and joyful habits of outdoor exploration that are strongly linked.
Adult and family education - the Institute's suite of family getaways, base camp learning and lodging, field seminars, online classes and stewardship weekends continue to bring diverse audiences to the North Cascades to learn, recreate and be inspired. The number of adult programs offered in 2022 was compromised due to challenges around the re-opening of the environmental learning center post-pandemic, including staff shortages. Skagit tours were canceled due to highway construction delays. The Institute also reached people of all ages through online presentations including educational videos and streaming literary readings as well as four in-person book presentations in bellingham. In 2022, there were 2,062 participants and 2,238 learners.conferences and retreats - custom educational programs, lodging and meals at the environmental learning center inspire reflection and connection to the natural world as well as to each other. The Institute welcomes conferences, events, retreats, workshops, trainings, reunions and other gatherings. In 2022, the Institute hosted 13 programs ranging from wellness retreats to business and academic conferences to family reunions. In 2022, there were 489 participants and 2,199 learner days.community and neighborhood - these programs involve a broad variety of groups, ages, partnering organizations and program types. Education activities are integrated into all programs to augment the projects and engage the participants. In 2022, the Institute participated in kulshan creek neighborhood youth program events in mount vernon. Field trips included local bike rides, a rafting trip, bird watching, stewardship activities and hiking. In 2022, there were 189 participants.bookstores - the Institute operates seven retail stores around North Cascades national park. In 2022, there were new visitation and sales records, even with some stores temporarily closed due to paving projects and wildfire issues. This partnership reaches larger, broader audiences to positively affect their lives through a deeper connection with nature by providing educational resources, introduces new community members to the Institute's work and helps fund its programs.