Description
Start Date-End Date: 05/10/2018-05/10/2018
Land Manager Office: CPW - Cherry Creek State Park
Land Manager Contact:
Funding Partner: The North Face
Programmatic Partner: Lucky to Ride
Summary: Lake International's Spring 2018 Field Trip to Cherry Creek State Park
Weeding
Biking
Environmental Education
Description: Weeding
Biking
Environmental Education
Latitude/Longitude: 39.63164, -104.8762
Additional Information:
Camping Available: No
Physical Difficulty: Easy
High Altitude Project: No
Desired Number of Volunteers: 90
Total Adult Volunteers Attended: 7
Total Youth Volunteers Attended: 68
Total Volunteer Days: 75
Total Unique Volunteers: 75
Total Volunteer Hours: 370
Staff Hours: 20
Stipend Hours: 0
Project Summary: On May 10th almost 70 7th grade students from Lake International came to Cherry Creek State Park fro their 4th Play, Learn, and Serve Day.
The Play component was put on by Trips for Kids, a non-profit that is focused on empowering at risk and disadvantaged youth, using the bicycle as a tool to foster positive life skills, healthy youth development, and a sense of fun and adventure. The students were broken into groups determined by skill level and road a great paved trail about half way around the reservoir from our staging point. This was truly enjoyed by participants and even ones who were weary at first had a wonderful time.
The Learn component was put on by a VOC staff member. The learn component included team development activities and a nature hike centered around curriculum identifying the coniferous trees in the park and learning all about birds and why Cherry Creek State Park makes a wonderful habitat for so many birds, migratory and non-migratory.
The Serve component was put on by VOC and Cherry Creek Park Staff, and revolved around the removal of the noxious weed- mullein. The three groups of students successfully cleared 3.5 acres of mullein seed heads from the park.
Successes and Challenges: Successes
Trips for kids is a great partner
This site location was great for bikes and the learn component. Would need to figure out other service for future projects because the students cleared all the nearby mullein.
Challenges-
Getting reliable transportation continues to be a large challenge for the schools. This program was rescheduled three times due to transportation issue.
School behavior requirements for attending field trips have pretty drastically impacted out numbers (negatively) on the last two trips.
This is out of the teacher's hands and would need to be addressed at a school level.
Both- The water was both a wonderful and challenging component for the students. It makes for a great learning tool, and a fun experience for them to dip their feet into, but the teacher chaperones have very little control over these students so the temptation to do more than dip their feet, was stronger for a few students than listening to the adults.
Lessons Learned:
Special Notes:
Stewardship Education:
Key Concerns or Comments from Staff or Volunteers:
Description of Accidents/Incidents:
Description of Work Completed:
