| We have too much great news to share in one email. Please CLICK HERE to view the full newsletter. Seasonal Newsletter Learn more at: www.inwarddiscovery.org Help Youth Discover Themselves Outdoors Donate Here Young people have an innate and natural desire to learn, power to heal, and drive to discover. InDiGO's work is as much about giving youth opportunities to experience Nature outdoors in parks, schoolyards, and backyards as it is about guiding youth to access the power of Nature within themselves. InDiGO guides youth to nurture their nature and shine like the stars! Winter naturally invites time to go indoors and journey inward. We learned outdoors as much as we could this Winter, yet, even indoors, we can discover Nature's wonders within ourselves. Following their interests, questions, and curiosities, students designed original and incredible projects that express their genius within them. InDiGO programs guide youth to access and develop their own identity, relationships, values, gifts, voice, vision, and leadership. Summer Adventure Camp 2022 Spring is here and summer is upon us! What a school year. The work of nurturing young people's innate nature is needed more than ever. Youth are designed to move, play, and explore. InDiGO joins in the growing worldwide movement to give youth, especially those in the most marginalized communities, access to healthy learning environments in which to learn, grow, discover, and thrive. In Baltimore City, InDiGO works on every level in concert with youth, teachers, school district officials, government agencies, outdoor centers, and community organizations. Creating healthy learning environments in schools, teaching in well-designed outdoor classrooms, and increasing access to healing-centered experiences in the great outdoors has never been more important for a generation of children. We work for systems change that increases protections for all children from harmful pollution or violence by any person or industry. We advocate for universal access to outdoor classrooms, gardens, playgrounds, and field trips. This video features youth reflecting on their summer camp experience. Please help more youth discover themselves outdoors! InDiGO partners with Pearlstone to increase access to their campus and programs for Baltimore City youth. With your help this year, InDiGO hopes to send 40 kids to day camp, and 5 to overnight camp. Thank you to all our donors who helped us send youth from West Baltimore to Adventure Camp at Pearlstone Center last summer. Donate Here Help youth not only be the stars but also see the stars they are! Thank you to Pearlstone and Hazon for your leadership and commitment to creating a sustainable world! We can all benefit so much from reconnecting to the land and nature. Hazon and Pearlstone are true leaders in the nature-connection movement in the Baltimore area and nationally. Camp is one of the most healing and enriching experiences we can offer our young people. Check out Pearlstone Center's incredible 2022 summer camp offerings here . Mary Ann Winterling 2nd Graders Each of these uniquely talented kids has so much heart and genius to offer the world. The world's 2nd graders were in Kindergarten when the pandemic hit. Returning to in-person learning has laid bare huge gaps in their social and academic development. InDiGO joins with teachers and schools to support students' thriving and shining. We practice collaborating, communicating, sharing, listening, and taking turns as we learn about students' interests, such as butterflies, dinosaurs, and robots, all while integrating STEM, and literacy. In her work with 2nd grade, the school psychologist observed that even the students with the most challenges are retaining the learning they do with InDiGO because, "They are genuinely engaged and motivated to learn." InDiGO's program with Mary Ann Winterling's 2nd graders is one example of how our work supports improving educational quality and equity in Baltimore City through effective SEL and healing-centered interventions. Learn more about our approach integrative, whole-child, holistic approach here . Field Trip to Carrie Murray Nature Center Many 2nd graders, especially those in the most marginalized communities, have never had the opportunity to explore the outdoors. Their experiences with InDiGO have been their first opportunities to explore the world as walking, talking, autonomous young people. The first time we went outside with this group, a few of them got burrs stuck to them and thought something was eating them. The pandemic exacerbated existing obstacles for these students to access green spaces. Most of the students have never been to the expansive forest area in West Baltimore that houses Carrie Murray Nature Center. Before our field trip there, some of the students' first field trip ever, students participated in a virtual field trip where they met a rescued box turtle. Learn more about Carrie Murray Nature Center's excellent offerings for Baltimore City Public Schools students at the link here . To prepare for our big adventure, we went on mini explorations of the field behind the school. We discovered more burrs and learned what they are, including why they hitch a ride on people and animals. After getting acclimated and comfortable in the outdoors, instead of screaming in fear, many of the students started adopting the fuzzy burrs as pets. We have explored flowers, clovers, fallen leaves, litter, drainage problems, worms, flying bugs, and pollinators like bees and butterflies! Butterflies and books InDiGO youth are rediscovering their love of learning by doing projects based on their interests. Each project integrates academic concepts with Nature, The Arts, and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). A group of these incredible 2nd-graders are passionate about butterflies. Another group wanted to make their own books. Combining their interests, we learned about the life cycle of a butterfly and then created our own butterfly books. The following week we continued the learning by making thumb-print caterpillar watercolor paintings. We plan to work with the school's Green Team to create a butterfly/pollinator garden. Learn more about integrative academics at this link . Learn how our knowledge of the world embedded in brain connectivity shapes our creativity at this link . Sharing and dinosaurs Dinosaurs were also among this 2nd-grade group's interests. They asked questions about evolution, geology, paleontology, and museum science. Perhaps most importantly, each student received one color of Play-Doh. They practiced sharing and communicating to create the incredible multi-colored sculptures this video features. Place Values with Play-Doh Molding right into math time, this lesson continued with a study of place value. Students created "number fossils" and we arranged them in an engaging place value lesson in small groups. This approach exemplifies the minor methodology adjustments we can make as teachers so we can return the motivation to learn to its rightful place: within the hearts and minds of children. Arlington Elementary School We are honored to work with three classes at Arlington Elementary in Northwest Baltimore, including a 2nd-5th grade self-contained classroom, and two 5th grade classes. We have been exploring the school garden, using the outdoor classroom, and designing exciting integrative projects. We make music, play, and discover connections between students' lives and their Academic, Artistic and Social-Emotional development. https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/new-student-learning-plans Marques interviews nasa engineer For his InDiGO project, Marques interviewed Mick Corriea. After researching the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and exploring some of his deep questions about space, time, life, and the origins of the universe, Marques gave his classmates the opportunity to learn from a real-life NASA engineer who has been working on the JWST for years. Several 5th graders are interested in flight. Tamor wants to build a flying trash can so he can remotely do his chores. Maybe Tamor can check out the award-winning Arlington robotics team!? Tamor's flying robotic trash-bot is still in the theoretical design phase, but we began exploring the science of flight, the scientific method, and animals that fly, like turtles (Yes, turtles fly. Learn more here . Our flight research naturally led into learning about the Scientific Method. Why can't we compare flying machine designs by throwing them and seeing whose goes farther? What are the variables in this experiment? How can we eliminate those variables? How do we accurately test our questions? The youth concluded that we need some sort of plane launcher that has a pre-set angle. They realized that we can control the force of each launch using a sling-shot style rubber band, pulling it back to a stopper on the launcher. Treasure island adventure A plane crash, a secret map, fearsome animals, and an epic adventure to discover the treasure within ourselves. This is one example of the incredible creativity within each young person that is seeking an outlet. Taylor and Alyssa, who wanted to make a treasure hunt adventure movie, wrote the entire script and plot themselves, and helped direct the filming with the rest of their class. Their creative and collaborative skills shined through this Language Arts-integrative project. Duran builds a car and so much more InDiGO advocates for opportunities for youth to pursue their passions and interests. We support teachers as they create the opportunities for individualized learning that fosters intrinsic motivation and overall improved academic performance. Sustaining our natural resources is for the purpose of sustaining human life. As we create new policies and initiatives to make Baltimore a healing-centered city that cares for all of its citizens and ecologies, let us not forget that it is people who need |
Help Youth Discover Themselves Outdoors | |
|
|
Young people have an innate and natural desire to learn, power to heal, and drive to discover. InDiGO's work is as much about giving youth opportunities to experience Nature outdoors in parks, schoolyards, and backyards as it is about guiding youth to access the power of Nature within themselves. | |
InDiGO guides youth to nurture their nature and shine like the stars! | |
Winter naturally invites time to go indoors and journey inward. We learned outdoors as much as we could this Winter, yet, even indoors, we can discover Nature's wonders within ourselves. Following their interests, questions, and curiosities, students designed original and incredible projects that express their genius within them. | |
InDiGO programs guide youth to access and develop their own identity, relationships, values, gifts, voice, vision, and leadership. | |
|
|
Summer Adventure Camp 2022
Spring is here and summer is upon us! What a school year. The work of nurturing young people's innate nature is needed more than ever. Youth are designed to move, play, and explore. InDiGO joins in the growing worldwide movement to give youth, especially those in the most marginalized communities, access to healthy learning environments in which to learn, grow, discover, and thrive.
In Baltimore City, InDiGO works on every level in concert with youth, teachers, school district officials, government agencies, outdoor centers, and community organizations.
Creating healthy learning environments in schools, teaching in well-designed outdoor classrooms, and increasing access to healing-centered experiences in the great outdoors has never been more important for a generation of children.
We work for systems change that increases protections for all children from harmful pollution or violence by any person or industry. We advocate for universal access to outdoor classrooms, gardens, playgrounds, and field trips.
This video features youth reflecting on their summer camp experience. Please help more youth discover themselves outdoors! InDiGO partners with Pearlstone to increase access to their campus and programs for Baltimore City youth. With your help this year, InDiGO hopes to send 40 kids to day camp, and 5 to overnight camp.
Thank you to all our donors who helped us send youth from West Baltimore to Adventure Camp at Pearlstone Center last summer.
| |
Help youth not only be the stars but also
see the stars they are!
| |
Thank you to Pearlstone and Hazon for your leadership and commitment to creating a sustainable world! We can all benefit so much from reconnecting to the land and nature. Hazon and Pearlstone are true leaders in the nature-connection movement in the Baltimore area and nationally. Camp is one of the most healing and enriching experiences we can offer our young people.
Check out Pearlstone Center's incredible 2022 summer camp offerings here.
| |
|
|
Mary Ann Winterling 2nd Graders
| |
Each of these uniquely talented kids has so much heart and genius to offer the world. The world's 2nd graders were in Kindergarten when the pandemic hit. Returning to in-person learning has laid bare huge gaps in their social and academic development. InDiGO joins with teachers and schools to support students' thriving and shining.
We practice collaborating, communicating, sharing, listening, and taking turns as we learn about students' interests, such as butterflies, dinosaurs, and robots, all while integrating STEM, and literacy.
In her work with 2nd grade, the school psychologist observed that even the students with the most challenges are retaining the learning they do with InDiGO because,
"They are genuinely engaged and motivated to learn."
InDiGO's program with Mary Ann Winterling's 2nd graders is one example of how our work supports improving educational quality and equity in Baltimore City through effective SEL and healing-centered interventions. Learn more about our approach integrative, whole-child, holistic approach here.
| |
|
|
Field Trip to Carrie Murray Nature Center
| |
Many 2nd graders, especially those in the most marginalized communities, have never had the opportunity to explore the outdoors. Their experiences with InDiGO have been their first opportunities to explore the world as walking, talking, autonomous young people.
The first time we went outside with this group, a few of them got burrs stuck to them and thought something was eating them. The pandemic exacerbated existing obstacles for these students to access green spaces. Most of the students have never been to the expansive forest area in West Baltimore that houses Carrie Murray Nature Center.
Before our field trip there, some of the students' first field trip ever, students participated in a virtual field trip where they met a rescued box turtle. Learn more about Carrie Murray Nature Center's excellent offerings for Baltimore City Public Schools students at the link here.
To prepare for our big adventure, we went on mini explorations of the field behind the school. We discovered more burrs and learned what they are, including why they hitch a ride on people and animals. After getting acclimated and comfortable in the outdoors, instead of screaming in fear, many of the students started adopting the fuzzy burrs as pets. We have explored flowers, clovers, fallen leaves, litter, drainage problems, worms, flying bugs, and pollinators like bees and butterflies!
| |
|
|
InDiGO youth are rediscovering their love of learning by doing projects based on their interests. Each project integrates academic concepts with Nature, The Arts, and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).
A group of these incredible 2nd-graders are passionate about butterflies. Another group wanted to make their own books. Combining their interests, we learned about the life cycle of a butterfly and then created our own butterfly books. The following week we continued the learning by making thumb-print caterpillar watercolor paintings. We plan to work with the school's Green Team to create a butterfly/pollinator garden.
Learn more about integrative academics at this link.
Learn how our knowledge of the world embedded in brain connectivity shapes our creativity at this link.
| |
|
|
Sharing and dinosaurs
Dinosaurs were also among this 2nd-grade group's interests. They asked questions about evolution, geology, paleontology, and museum science. Perhaps most importantly, each student received one color of Play-Doh. They practiced sharing and communicating to create the incredible multi-colored sculptures this video features.
| |
|
|
Place Values with Play-Doh
Molding right into math time, this lesson continued with a study of place value. Students created "number fossils" and we arranged them in an engaging place value lesson in small groups. This approach exemplifies the minor methodology adjustments we can make as teachers so we can return the motivation to learn to its rightful place: within the hearts and minds of children.
| |
|
|
Arlington Elementary School
We are honored to work with three classes at Arlington Elementary in Northwest Baltimore, including a 2nd-5th grade self-contained classroom, and two 5th grade classes.
| |
Marques interviews nasa engineer | |
For his InDiGO project, Marques interviewed Mick Corriea. After researching the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and exploring some of his deep questions about space, time, life, and the origins of the universe, Marques gave his classmates the opportunity to learn from a real-life NASA engineer who has been working on the JWST for years. | |
Several 5th graders are interested in flight. Tamor wants to build a flying trash can so he can remotely do his chores. Maybe Tamor can check out the award-winning Arlington robotics team!? Tamor's flying robotic trash-bot is still in the theoretical design phase, but we began exploring the science of flight, the scientific method, and animals that fly, like turtles (Yes, turtles fly. Learn more here.
Our flight research naturally led into learning about the Scientific Method. Why can't we compare flying machine designs by throwing them and seeing whose goes farther? What are the variables in this experiment? How can we eliminate those variables? How do we accurately test our questions? The youth concluded that we need some sort of plane launcher that has a pre-set angle. They realized that we can control the force of each launch using a sling-shot style rubber band, pulling it back to a stopper on the launcher.
| |
Treasure island adventure
| |
A plane crash, a secret map, fearsome animals, and an epic adventure to discover the treasure within ourselves. This is one example of the incredible creativity within each young person that is seeking an outlet. Taylor and Alyssa, who wanted to make a treasure hunt adventure movie, wrote the entire script and plot themselves, and helped direct the filming with the rest of their class. Their creative and collaborative skills shined through this Language Arts-integrative project. | |
Duran builds a car and so much more
| |
InDiGO advocates for opportunities for youth to pursue their passions and interests. We support teachers as they create the opportunities for individualized learning that fosters intrinsic motivation and overall improved academic performance.
Sustaining our natural resources is for the purpose of sustaining human life. As we create new policies and initiatives to make Baltimore a healing-centered city that cares for all of its citizens and ecologies, let us not forget that it is people who need sustainability.
The historical and present reality of unjust policies that exacerbate trauma demands a new definition of sustainability. Sustainability is the ability of people to sustain themselves in harmony with their environment.
Yes, the fish and fauna, streams, and forests need caretakers, but let us not lose sight of the people who have been impacted for generations by disinvestment, criminalization, and marginalization. How can Baltimore care for all of its citizens? Is it possible to create an alternative to the School-to-Prison Pipeline that has disproportionately impacted so many Black Baltimoreans?
InDiGO works to increase access to experiences that guide youth to discover their path, purpose, and potential. We know that cars impact the environment. Giving students like Duran the opportunity to explore his interest in cars will impact his future and everyone's.
| |
Ms. thompson wins presidential award for science
| |
Congratulations to Melissa Thompson, the superstar teacher at Arlington who just won the Presidential Award for Excellence of Teaching in Science. The many programs and projects she orchestrates include the school garden complete with chickens and bees, the science lab, the robotics program, and so much more. She is organizing an extended Explorer Month that will include InDiGO field trips to Pearlstone Center for each grade! Thank you Ms. Thompson for all you do and for bringing InDiGO to Arlington! | |
Recent and upcoming adventures
We already brought Arlington's 5th graders to Pearlstone Center. They learned about the water cycle and where their water comes from. Check out the video here. We also visited them at North Bay Adventure Camp, where they stayed overnight for a week!
Since we already visited one of the springs where our drinking water originates, our next trip with the 5th grade will be downstream where the water ends up. We're going kayaking and canoeing with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks (BCRP). Did you know BCRP has tons of FREE programs? Check out the complete list of offerings and sign up here:
Shout-out to Southwest Partnership for their fantastic work reconnecting people, parks, water, land, and opportunities in Southwest Baltimore!
"Our work to 'reimagine Middle Branch' is a key component of our larger strategies to revamp and reinvigorate recreation opportunities and outdoor spaces throughout our city," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott in a statement.
"This is about providing clean, accessible, and modern spaces that show our residents, particularly our young people, that they matter. That we care about them and are going to do everything in our power to give them the best quality of life possible."
https://baltimorefishbowl.com/.../baltimore-city-and-its.../
| |
|
|
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's OrchKids
InDiGO serves youth and educators during and OST (Out-of-School-Time). After school, we work with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's legendary program called OrchKids at two sites: Mary Ann Winterling Elementary in West Baltimore and Highlandtown Elementary in Southeast Baltimore. With OrchKids, we focus on integrating Music with SEL (Social and Emotional Learning).
| |
What is the oldest instrument in the world? Humans learned to make sounds and music by imitating nature. We have evolved to create masterpieces. We follow the evolutionary progression of music in our work with OrchKids as we develop our ability to express ourselves authentically. We begin with the oldest instruments in the world: body percussion and our own voices. We then add drums, and eventually, violins, trumpets, harps, and all the other amazing instruments OrchKids provides for Baltimore City students. | |
Orchkids at mary ann winterling | |
Kids like to be outside, they love music and the playground. So naturally, we discovered that the playground is a giant drumset! Playing the playground helps students move their bodies, guides them to develop listening and eye contact skills, and provides a platform for discussion about echoes, sound waves, engineering, conflict resolution, green space equity, and more!
| |
|
|
2nd Graders at Harlem Park | |
"i am" song at harlem park (preview) | |
Before students discover their true origins through InDiGO's lessons and discussions, we get a lot of sad answers to questions like "Who are you?" and "What are you made of?" Some kids say "dirt," others say "meat." It is no wonder there is so much bullying, violence, and depression among young people who view themselves and each other as meat and dirt. This song previews our upcoming music video that tells a new story. The story of our origins, according to Astrophysics, is that we are stars. This song helps kids of all ages and abilities conceptualize and affirm who and what they are.
We have received feedback from students that they emerge from singing with us outdoors "feeling good" and with a new concept of themselves.
| |
|
|
love is everywhere i go (preview) | |
This song is another example of how InDiGO integrates Music, Nature, and SEL. Students learn about compassion by carrying positivity within them. They learn and affirm that they are a positive force of peace and change wherever they go. | |
|
|
Healing City Summit 2022 ~ Join the Movement
| |
Healing City Summit 2022 made the bold and vital proclamation that we are healing. The Healing Youth Alliance and HeartSmiles, LLC helped organize alongside more than 30 organizations to curate a 5-day summit full of incredible workshops with more than 150 participants!
InDiGO Founder and Director Gabriel Pickus led a free online workshop called Our Nature To Heal: 10 Self-Care Strategies. He shared practical strategies we can use every day to help put our bodies in a healing state. We partnered with our beloved teachers and community elders from the Baltimore Homa Community to lead a healing fire for the city. Big thanks to Brother Jamal and Dr. Henry Gregory for sharing their wisdom.
| |
|
|
Baltimore Connecting Children To Nature (BCCN) | |
We are honored to be a core member of BCCN. We are working with local and national leaders to make the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights a reality. We partner with multiple outdoor education centers to increase access to their campuses and programs for Baltimore City's young people. It will take years of cohesive collaboration between youth, teachers, school district officials, government agencies, outdoor centers, and community organizations to make the vision of BCCN —children connected to Nature, a reality.
InDiGO's vision for an initial commitment of $10M per year within the City Budget would establish an Outdoor Learning Fund. $10M would suffice to begin the process of re-shaping 50 schools and impact nearly 25,000 of our 80,000 public school students.
InDiGO's vision is for each student in Baltimore City to have access to a yearly progression of nature-based experiences that connects them to the wonders of Nature in the following seven ways: 1. Nature within us, 2. Nature indoors at home, 3. Nature indoors during school or OST, 4. Nature near school or community, 5. Nature within the city, 6. Nature in the great outdoors, and 7. InDiGO Projects and Presentations.
InDiGO's vision is for citizens to begin nurturing healthy relationships with themselves, each other, and the Earth from a young age. InDiGO proposes establishing an Outdoor Learning Fund to increase access to Nature for youth in schools and OST (Out-of-School-Time) programs. Until our advocacy work is successful and we have committed funding on a systemic level, please consider donating. Thank you!
| |
|
|
Help Youth Discover Themselves Outdoors | |
|
|
| |
|
