Putting the “Worms” Back in Bookworms - by Anthony Hauck
09-26-2008Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF), members of the No Child Left Inside Coalition, applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for its recent passage of the No Child Left Inside Act of 2008. The No Child Left Inside Act of 2008 creates new funding for training teachers in outdoor education, expands environmental education programs and helps states to create programs to ensure that U.S. graduates are environmentally literate.
The No Child Left Inside Coalition is composed of over 745 environmental, educational, and public health organizations dedicated to insuring a comprehensive education for all. Many schools have abandoned environmental education programs to invest more time in “core” subjects such as math and language arts. However, studies continue to show that environmental education improves student achievement in core subject areas, enhances critical thinking and basic life skills and builds an appreciation for the very environment that sustains us all. To find out more about the No Child Left Inside Act of 2008 and to follow its progress, click here.
“Our nation has long relied on the public to be good stewards of the land and the environment,” said Howard Vincent, PF/QF President and CEO, “Good stewards, however, are not borne from an uneducated public. When two-thirds of the public fail even a basic environmental quiz, we have a serious problem on our hands.”
In addition to supporting the No Child Left Inside Act, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever this year launched the No Child Left Indoors™ initiative. This new initiative is part of a national movement aimed at getting youth unplugged from electronics and turned on to the outdoors, nature and wildlife in their communities.
Nationwide, a smaller percentage of people - particularly youth - are spending time participating in nature-based outdoor activities. Instead, time is being spent in front of computers, televisions and other electronics. “It’s imperative that we reconnect youth to the outdoors,” said Cheryl Riley, PF/QF’s Vice President of Education and Outreach, “If we don’t engage youth in the outdoors, then they don’t understand nature and won’t care about it. And if they don’t care about wildlife and wild places, they won’t care about conserving them.” Find more information about the No Child Left Indoors™ initiative at http://www.PheasantsForever.org.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has more than 129,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.