Creekside Environmental Ed for Kids (CrEEK)

Each school year, our partners at Friends of Little Orange Creek host the CrEEK Program (Creekside Environmental Ed for Kids) at Little Orange Creek Nature Center. Through the program, approximately 1,000 fourth graders from underserved schools in Gainesville and Putnam counties are bused out to Little Orange Creek Nature Park where they learn basics in wetland and wildlife ecology.

The CrEEK Program works to foster a love for nature from a young age by immersing students in the outdoors. Through a curriculum that focuses on hands-on learning experiences, the CrEEK Program allows experts in the conservation field an opportunity to make an impact in the lives of local students.

As part of their participation in the CrEEK program, students will engage in activities such as dipnetting in the creek, working within nature to identify and learn about decomposition and the carbon cycle, going on nature hikes where they identify different species, and creating nature-inspired artwork. These activities are paired with guidance and discussion in order for students to make lasting connections with the knowledge gained and the surrounding environment.

As a program partner, ACT provides support for busing and supplies as well as consultation on strategies and topics for teaching.

This program aims to actively work against educational barriers and foster a diverse future of nature lovers and environmental leaders. Marginalized communities are often excluded from outdoors spaces through mechanisms such as wealth, safety, and proximity. The CrEEK Program aims to bring students into nature to create a safe and long-lasting impact on their relationships with the outdoors.