We are seeking high school educators to participate in an innovative and trailblazing project during the 2022-23 school year.
Our Worlds Connect is a project designed to build relationships between students from disparate communities through a series of environmentally based community building exercises. Designed to immerse students in a common experience, these gatherings build relationships that cross communities, and provide opportunities for students to share their perspectives. The relationships cultivated during this collaboration provides students with a new and better understanding of each other and prepares them to act in ways that create a more just, sustainable, and peaceful community.
Objectives
- Bring students from different communities together to have a shared experience
- Encourage dialogue that develops an understanding of diverse perspectives
- Build relationships that lead to empowerment for individuals and communities
Benefits of participation
- Contribute to creating more connected communities
- Get to know people from a variety of backgrounds
- Meet culturally responsive education guidelines
- Build skills for future readiness like cooperation, communication, creativity, and critical thinking
Are you interested in getting your class involved?
During the 2022-2023 school year we plan to engage three pairs of schools in a series of three gatherings each. The initial meeting will occur in a neutral and natural environment, like the Cumming Nature Center, so the students can get to know one another and begin their dialogue. From there, they will transition to meetings within the communities where the students live, preferably in outdoor spaces. Together, Rochester Ecology Partners, teachers, students, and community collaborators will co-design the experiences to ensure that all parties are represented, respected, and get the most from the collaboration.
Requirements for participation:
- Participate in Rochester Ecology Partner’s Nature Based Learning Symposium on August 30-31
- Recruit about 10 students in a class or school club
- Commitment to participate in at least 3 gatherings with your partner class
- Commitment to designating planning time to assist in the specialization of your partnership experiences
Financial agreements:
- The costs of program will be covered by all program partners
- Rochester Ecology Partners will seek funding from outside sources
- Partner schools will make an effort to contribute resources
About Rochester Ecology Partners
Rochester Ecology Partners serves people in Greater Rochester through nature based experiential learning and activities that cultivate community connectedness. We believe that integrated and innovative approaches to helping people find nature where they live, work, and play can improve our community’s capacity to co-create a bright and hopeful future.
For More Information
Please reach out to Lindsay Clark of Rochester Ecology Partners to discuss getting involved at lclark@rochesterecologypartners.org.
https://rochesterecologypartners.org/project/our-worlds-connect/
