Kansas Coalition for Children in Nature

On April 13, 2009, former Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed Executive Order 09-02 (http://governor.gov/issues-a-initiatives/executive-orders/286-04132009-executive-order-0-02-create-the-kansas-coalition-for-children-in-nature) creating the Kansas Coalition for Children in Nature (KCCN). The KCCN was formed to foster Kansas youth's appreciation of the outdoors.

"Kansas is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty and this coalition will work to make sure Kansas children experience all that our state has to offer," Sebelius said. "Environmental education is the first step toward helping our children learn to protect and preserve our planet."

The KCCN will promote outdoor learning experiences and environmental education for the young people of Kansas and provide ongoing support for these endeavors.

Subsequent to the signing of the Executive Order, Governor Mark Parkinson appointed conveners and outlined the tasks for the KCCN.

The conveners have established three work groups to create plans addressing the outcomes of the identified Executive Order.

  1. Environmental Education - formal learning experiences for children in a variety of settings.
  2. Outdoor Experiences and Recreation - experiences that include play, recreation, exploration, etc.
  3. Health - time and access to nature and relationships to children's health.

The timeline for the KCCN work is as follows.

Oct. - Nov. 2009 - Convene work groups
Step. 1, 2010 - Work groups report to conveners
Oct. 2010 - Environmental Literacy Plan completed; Draft of entire KCCN report completed, final review by conveners
Jan. 10, 2011 - Report due to Govenor

KCCN Covener's Group Meeting

The latest meeting was Monday, March 22, 2010 at the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Office in Topeka.

  1. Reports from the KCN Work Groups:
    1. Outdoor Experiences & Recreation - Mike Christensen and Bill McGowan will serve as co-chairs of the work group and subcommittees will form on March 24 to begin planning the recommendation and writing phase.
    2. Environmental Education - Laura Downey reported this group has made significant progress on a resource directory.  A draft of the environmental literacy plan will be available in a few weeks.
    3. Health - Shari Wilson reported this group has divided into two writing groups which are active in exploring assignments and will meet April 1 at 1:30 in Manhattan.
  2. Logo artist Greg Thomas volunteered to develop a letterhead concept with the KCN logo for future use by the conveners. 
  3. A song written by Kelley Hunt, "Outside for a Better Inside," was played for the group.  This song could be used on the KCN website as a promotional tool. 
  4. Ron Kaufman, Director of Information Services Division for KDWP, presented information about the creation of a website for KCN.  KDWP will host a stand-alone website on behalf of KCN and will work with the convener group to develop a template and content for it. 
  5. Doug Vance offered to use KRPA as a vehicle to seek support in local communities around the state to help set up a grass roots effort to promote the KCN plan and get support at the local level.
  6. A sesquicentennial event for the state of Kansas is being organized and will involve KDWP activities with tentative date June 4, 2011.  The Conveners Group is interested in being involved in the celebration and will look to Jerry Hover for recommendations.
  7. Laura Downey and Doug Vance will coordinate an agenda for the April 10 KCN Be Out There event held in conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation's campaign summit meeting. 
  8. The following mission statement was accepted by those present.  Kansans for Children in Nature promotes the health and well-being of youth by providing opportunities for increased outdoor experiences and environmental education. 
  9. The next meeting will be Tuesday, April 27, 2010 from 3:00 to 4:30 PM at the KDWP Administration building in Topeka. 
  10. The KCN subcommittee work group information is as follows:
    1. Outdoor Experiences and Recreation - Doug Vance, chair. doug@kpra.org, 785-691-7708
    2. Environmental Education - Laura Downey, chair ldowney@kacee.org, 785-532-3322
    3. Health - Shari Wilson, chair. swilson@kacee.org, 913-287-6879

Outdoor Experiences and Recreation Work Group

 

The latest meeting was held Wed., March 24, 2010 in Topeka with Mike Christensen and Bill McGowan introduced as co-chairs.

 

The group is being divided up into sub-committees at this time.  Each sub-committee is charged with developing the written recommendations for the Outdoor Experiences and Recreation Work Group.  Below are the names of each group and a brief list of topics relative to that group.

  1. Schools/Parks - Co-chairs:  Susan Hentzler & Mark Thompson
    1. Strategies that provide increased support for schoolyard habitat programs.
    2. Creation of Green corridors to connect communities, parks, and schools.
    3. School-based programs that provide voluntary curriculum-aligned  programming to connect children to the land.
    4. Increased access to naturalists in state parks and other public lands.
    5. Greening initiatives that create nature play areas within communities.
    6. Developing the outdoor mentor program on a larger scale.
  2. Early Childhood/Minorities/At-Risk - Co-chairs:  Cathy Gray & Jabeth Coachman
    1. Increase opportunities for underserved communities to access Kansas State, federal and local parks with organizations that serve minority children. 
    2. Early childhood learning which includes more outdoor naturalistic play.
    3. Strategies that increase support for the state wide Youth Conservation Corps
  3. Measuring data/research - Co-Chairs:  Mike Christenson & Janelle Martin
    1. Devise a method of measuring baseline data and increased time spent in nature by children.
    2. Devise a method of measuring baseline health data of children and explore correlations between time spent in nature and health.
    3. Identify opportunities and barriers to support implementation of programs in local school systems and public lands.

 

The timeline for the work group is as follows:


June 1, 2010 - Committee recommendations

July 30, 2010 - First draft completed

Aug. 13, 2010 - Approval of draft/or revisions made

Sept. 1, 2010 - Work group's report to Conveners for final writing

Oct. 1, 2010 - Environmental Literacy plan completed

                       Draft of complete KCCN report completed

                       Final review of Conveners

Dec. 1, 2010 - Draft report to Governor

Dec. 10, 2010 - Report to Governor and Governor-Elect

Jan. 10, 2011 - Begin implementation efforts

 

Other work done by the work group at this time included reviewing the KCN mission statement and discussing the KCN logo that was adopted by the Conveners.

 

The next meeting will be Friday, April 23, 2010 at 1:30 PM at the KDWP Administration building in Topeka.

 

 

 

Kansans for Children in Nature Meeting

NWF Be Out There:  National Summit on Children and the Outdoors

April 10, 2010

Kansas Museum of History, Topeka

 

The KCN group met at the Kansas History Museum on April 10, 2010 for a video broadcast of the national Wildlife Federation's Be Out There: A National Summit on Children and the Outdoors.  The 24 members were led by Doug Vance, KPRA, and Laura Downey, KACEE.  Steve Sorensen, Matt Nowak, and Cynthia Rhodes represented KWF.

 

After a brief welcome and introductions, Laura and Doug discussed the KCN website which will be hosted on the KWP server.  The website is currently under development and will include activities, draft documents, and a calendar of events.

 

 The video broadcast included speeches by Gov. Martin O'Malley of Maryland, Gov. Mark Parkinson of Kansas, and Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri.  These illustrious men discussed the work being done on this topic in each state by their dedicated citizens. 

 

Also included was information about the National Great Outdoors month in June, Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign, a message from the U.S. Surgeon General's office, and a message from Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior. 

 

Dr. Lisa Venistra, NWF, moderated a panel discussion including an official from the Safe Routes to Schools partnership, an urban pediatrician from Denver, and a Parks and Recreation administrator from San Francisco.  Each panel member gave a short presentation from her unique perspective over the problem of getting children outdoors. 

 

Following the NWF video summit meeting, the KCN group held a group discussion over current work being done by the three subgroups of the KCN Conveners group.  Ideas were exchanged over the topic of getting Kansas kids outdoors.  It was determined that now is the time to foster champions on the legislative side for possible future legislation at the state and national levels.  Also, more needs to be done to get the medical field involved on the health side of this issue.

 

There will be an Outdoor Summit in Wichita on Oct. 19 and 20, 2010 sponsored by KACCRRA (Kansas Association of Childcare Resource and Referral Agencies).  For more information, go to website http://www.kaccrra.org/.  Gov. Parkinson issued a Governor's Proclamation designating April 11-17 Environmental Education Week across Kansas.  Delicious box lunches, provided by KWF monies, were served to members attending.   

 

 

Report submitted by Cynthia Rhodes