Outdoor Exploration Education Program

An educational objective achieved has been instilling leadership skills in youth and teens through community clean-ups and outdoor activities. Teens were asked to take responsibility for cleaning up a certain area of the city, enabling each to receive hands-on skilled experience and instruction.

Each trip has an educational component where the Program Coordinator assigned to trips creates an activity or asks participants questions to solidify what has been learned. For example, on the bus ride to and from Palm Springs Aerial Tramway staff played a themed game of trivia and bingo to reiterate the educational component of the trip; encouraging participants to share what they have learned. Assigned staff members initiate learning opportunities on location by encouraging participants to join focused groups for different attractions.

of our activities and trips provides a valuable learning opportunity. This year, the focus has been on the significant theme of urban development and its consequences for the areas we explore. Participants have had the chance to observe and connect the impacts of this development on local wildlife and plant species in real-world contexts. In particular, during our community engagement efforts—such as tree planting events and neighborhood clean-ups—we have facilitated in-depth discussions surrounding the issue of invasive species. Participants are encouraged to consider how these non-native species can disrupt local ecosystems, outcompeting native flora and fauna and altering habitats. Through these interactions, participants gain a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between urbanization and biodiversity, fostering a sense of responsibility towards environmental stewardship and community well-being.

Local Partners included; City of Banning Electric Utility Department; Calvary Christian School; San Gorgonio Pass Rotary Club; Opportunity Village/Faith in Action; Banning High School Academy of Business; Banning Unified Nutritional Services

Each of the listed organizations and the City of Banning Parks and Recreation Department have partnered to bring participants to the trips and programs listed above. Additionally, members of these organizations have provided educational and informational support as needed. With the City of Banning’s Parks and Recreation registration software, we have transitioned easily and have been able to successfully communicate and track the requirements for each trip and program.

Over the past year, we have strengthened our relationship with the City of Beaumont, our neighboring city. This collaboration has led to the beginning of what will be a joint implementation through teen development (Youth Council) of a community service project. We also have formed a meaningful partnership with Opportunity Village, an organization providing housing and support for homeless individuals in our city. Involving residents from Opportunity Village in our Community Clean-Up Days and tree planting projects, we help beautify the community yet foster a sense of empowerment for those experiencing homelessness. We formed a partnership with the Master Gardeners of UCR, an organization known for its expertise in horticulture. Two experienced Master Gardeners volunteered their time and knowledge to conduct a class. This class was designed for a group of participants, including youth and adults, and focused on creating and maintaining window gardening boxes.

Lessons learned have included ensuring trip and program requirements are up to the standard of the grant’s scope. These have included that attendance for each trip and activity has been met. Though seeing some spaces open up for each trip, the Banning Parks and Recreation department has successful overcome this challenge by making personalized phone calls and creating waitlists to fill unforeseen vacant positions. In creating a waitlist to pull from, we have accurately been able to identify specific participants and ensure capacity is met. Through the Banning Parks and Recreation Civic Rec software we are able to track this information closely.

One of our major challenges has been accommodating the overwhelming interest we have received for our trips. Due to capacity limitations, we have had to decline some requests. To address this, we are now opening registration in two ways: online and in person at a designated time. This approach allows families and staff to better prepare for registration day. Continuing to build strong relationships with our community members has been essential in ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate at some point during the years of the grant.