Education program earns regional recognition
Kids from FernLeaf Community Charter School in Fletcher explore the outdoors with Muddy Sneakers. Donated photo
Muddy Sneakers, an outdoor science education program based in Brevard, recently won two awards in a Blue Ridge Outdoors voting contest.
In January, the program took top honors in the Educational Outdoor Recreation Program and won the award for Best Summer Camp/Program. The awards recognize the top organizations, businesses and experiences in the Southeast.
Muddy Sneakers has grown this school year to serve more than 2,800 students at 43 schools across 17 counties in Western North Carolina and the Piedmont. This includes providing curriculum-aligned programming to five new schools in three new counties this spring semester — Madison, Anson and Guilford. Muddy Sneakers partners with schools to supplement fifth-grade science instruction with hands-on outdoor learning expeditions on nearby protected lands.
In addition, Camp Muddy Sneakers is gearing up for its sixth summer with adventures for kids ages 4 to 14 — an expanded age range — at a soon-to-be-announced location. The day camp aims to help kids connect with nature through meaningful and fun outdoor experiences in a small-group format that encourages kids to follow their imagination and curiosity as they learn about and explore this region’s biologically rich ecosystems.
