Twin County Community Foundation Supports BRDC in Youth Outside Initiative

Through the generous support of the Twin County Community Foundation (TCCF), Blue Ridge Discovery Center will be launching a new Youth Outside Health & Education Initiative in 2020. The purpose of this new initiative is to address the physical, mental, and cognitive health of students in Grayson and Carroll Counties and the City of Galax. The Youth Outside Health & Education Initiative will engage 25 participating classes, approximately 500 students aged 6-11, in outdoor activities through observational high-elevation hiking, reflective field journaling, and natural history education.

With the increase in technology available today, children are spending less time outdoors and less time engaged in physical activity. A sedentary indoor lifestyle is also linked to an overall decline in mental health among adolescents. Hiking in natural areas, especially in dynamic mountainous terrain, provides positive physical and mental health benefits while encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Pairing physical activity with hands-on, experiential learning allows students to become fully immersed and actively engaged in their learning, with tools to promote critical thinking and creativity, and to accelerate learning. When students share their findings, they are more likely to retain information processed and apply it to situations beyond that experience. Further, Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s lessons are aligned with the Virginia Department of Education Standards of Learning. By providing programming outside of the classroom, BRDC can effectively introduce students to an infinite number of experiences and topics that they find inspiring. This level of ownership contributes to deeper appreciation and understanding, and can heighten enthusiasm for learning.

Through the Youth Outside Health & Education Initiative, TCCF and BRDC aim to promote physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being and instill a love of the place they call home. In meeting BRDC’s goal to inspire youth to discover new areas of interest, we can collectively help this generation to live an active and healthy lifestyle.

This Initiative is also made possible by matching funds through the Harris and Frances Block Foundation.

Thank you for your support!