The year-old program has already impacted thousands of students across Washington state
information released
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources released its first strategic plan and website for its Youth Education and Outreach Program this week as part of its push to deliver outdoor learning opportunities and promote natural resource sector careers for Washington youth.
Launched in 2023 with one full-time staff member, the Youth Education and Outreach Program (YEOP) has connected more than 2,000 K-12 students with Department of Natural Resources (DNR) subject matter experts on a wide variety of subjects related to climate and wildfire resilience, recreation, and many more topics related to sustainable, equitable stewardship of the great outdoors.
The more than 4,500 hours of educational programming made possible by YEOP have taken place across classroom activities, field-based learning, career fairs, internships, and professional learning opportunities for teachers. There is also an online portal of educational activities available to students of all ages.
“So much of the work we do at DNR is to leave our forests in better shape than we found them so that future generations enjoy all that makes us the Evergreen State,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “The immediate impact and rapid growth of our Youth Education and Outreach Program shows how much of a need there is to connect Washington youth with the best experts and learning experiences possible.”
To continue expanding the program to meet the needs of Washington students, DNR has requested funding from the State Legislature to fund additional staff positions, the creation of a gear library to support equity in outdoor education, and pass-through funding opportunities at the local level. A fact sheet about the funding request is available here.
“Washington youth care deeply about issues related to our natural resources and changing climate,” said YEOP Program Manager Clare Sobetski. “Many of them are also unsure about how they can make an impact now or in the future. This program is their gateway to affecting positive changes in their communities and exploring the many career opportunities in natural resources.”
