Community Education Center

Santa Clara Unified School District's Pomeroy Sustainable Harvests & Investing in Nature Education (SHINE) program serves 300 students in grades TK-5 in Santa Clara, CA. SHINE provides hands-on, nature-based education and recreation to underserved students, including SED, ELL, and SPED populations. The program integrates Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards and emphasizes the benefits of eating locally and sustainably. SHINE also includes a Charlie Cart Outdoor Kitchen System and ongoing support for long-term sustainability and replication at other schools.

The Authority helped fund Bay Area Older Adults’ Environmental Education Park Crawl program. The project consisted of eight, 4-hour walks in different parks and one wildlife lecture. Each two- to four-mile walk had an environmental theme that educated the participating adults age 60+ about our valley’s parks, natural resources, and urban green spaces. It also included lunch, coordination of transportation, parking fees, and three trained guides. Participants benefitted in multiple ways: safely walking outdoors in a group is critical in reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and depression, and learning about nature promotes cognitive health and reduces the risk of dementia.

Bay Area Wilderness Training (BAWT) creates opportunities for underserved Bay Area youth to experience wilderness firsthand and have powerful environmental education experiences. The Authority contributed funds to help BAWT continue to expand services in Santa Clara County by conducting more outdoor leadership training courses, including full scholarships for South Bay focused leaders. Through this grant, BAWT will continue expansion of outdoor equipment lending and trip support services. This project is increasing the number of Santa Clara County outdoor trips for diverse youth and will help launch a legacy that will provide youth of color and low-income youth in the South Bay with outdoor experiences for many years to come.