River Classroom. Courtesy photoNMWC News:
ESPANOLA ― The North Face has awarded a 2017 Explore Fund grant to New Mexico Wildlife Center for its River Classroom program. River Classroom will launch the 2017-2018 school year in September, working with students from Espanola, Tierra Amarilla and Chama.
River Classroom is led by Dr. Christy Wall, who is passionate about sharing her love of the outdoors with her students.
“We are thrilled to be selected as a recipient of the Explore Fund grant. River Classroom is a wonderful program for our community,” Dr. Wall said. “It lets us take local students into our beautiful habitats to learn science based on state standards outside the classroom. Getting kids outside makes science fun and helps us engage the kids in outdoor exploration. We’re grateful to The North Face for helping us fund this program!”
The North Face selected a total of 43 nonprofits that create opportunities for people to develop a passion for the outdoors and desire to care for local parks and public lands. Selected programs use outdoor exploration as a catalyst for positive personal or societal change, to encourage healthy lifestyles, and promote environmental stewardship.
“A desire and willingness to explore and care for our outdoor playgrounds is part of our brand DNA ,” said Ann Krcik, senior director of Outdoor Exploration at The North Face. “We are proud to support these outstanding programs that expose participants to benefits of the outdoors. Through The North Face Explore Fund grants, we are building a community of outdoor explorers and inspiring people to love and protect the places where we play.”
New Mexico Wildlife Center (NMWC) was established in 1986 to rehabilitate and release injured raptors in New Mexico.
Since its founding, the program has expanded to work with all kinds of wildlife. Human interactions and habitat degradation are some of the biggest threats to wildlife. NMWC recognizes that in order to save habitats and wild animals, we must have a knowledgeable public that understands the science behind healthy habitats and has a deep connection to the outdoors.
As part of its mission to start a global movement of outdoor exploration, The North Face introduced Explore Fund (www.explorefund.org) in 2010 and the program has since provided more than $2.75 million in grants to organizations committed to inspiring people to explore the outdoors and care for the environment.
To learn more about NMWC and River Classroom visit https:////www.newmexicowildlifecenter.org/.
