skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

UAW strike continues: Officials say EPA standards must catch up; Mississippians urged to register to vote ahead of the Nov. 7 general election; NYers worry about impacts of government shutdown.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Senate leaders advance a plan to avoid a government shutdown, an elections official argues AI could be a threat to democracy and voting rights advocates look to states like Arizona to rally young Latino voters.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A small fire department in rural Indiana is determined not to fail new moms and babies, the growing election denial movement has caused voting districts to change procedures and autumn promises spectacular scenery along America's rural byways.

San Luis Valley Youths Get Head Start on Nature Stewardship

play audio
Play

Tuesday, February 23, 2021   

ANTONITO, Colo. -- Young people living in southern Colorado's San Luis Valley are heading to Monarch for a ski and snow-tubing expedition this week, and for many it will be their first time on the slopes.

The trip is part of Conejos Clean Water's Justice and Heritage Academy, which creates opportunities for kids from low-income families to experience Colorado's landscapes.

Isabel Lisle, AmeriCorps outdoor educator for Conejos Clean Water, said it's important to carve out time for kids to explore the region's natural resources.

"Where they have the space to be imaginative and inquisitive about the world around them," Lisle explained. "We're trying to instill a sense of pride, belonging and caring for the natural environment so they can grow up to become adults who continue to care for the world around them."

Students must cover half the cost of lift tickets. The academy covers the other half and transportation.

Ski equipment and tubes are provided by Conejos' Outdoor Gear Depot, where for a small donation, area residents can pick up snowshoes, kayaks, mountain bikes and other tools for accessing Colorado's outdoor treasures.

The outdoor program has taken on even greater significance during the coronavirus pandemic. The academy has kept its doors open, literally, so that kids can get free meals and continue their education.

Lisle noted the program also gives kids a good reason to hit pause on their video games and step away from screens.

"Having the opportunity to be able to go snowshoeing and build snow forts outside for three hours, hang out with their friends, is so valuable for their mental health as well as their physical health," Lisle remarked.

In addition to skiing, sledding and paddle-boarding adventures, students have learned about water in the San Luis valley, seeing with their own eyes where it comes from and how it becomes drinking water.

Lisle added the program has opened up the learning process for some students. She observed kids who don't normally shine in the classroom often are some of the best explorers, snowman makers and leaders in the outdoors.

Disclosure: Conejos Clean Water contributes to our fund for reporting on Environment, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Social Justice, and Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
A new poll showed Hispanic students who reported having occasional negative experiences on campus were about twice as likely to consider stopping out in the past six months. (Rocketclips/Adobestock)

play sound

In a new poll, about a quarter of Hispanic students in post-high school education and training programs report feeling discriminated against…


Social Issues

play sound

New Yorkers are preparing for an impending government shutdown. State officials are worried about how it could impact the work state agencies have …

Environment

play sound

Advocates are drawing attention to systemic racism in farming across North Carolina and the nation. The National Farm Worker Ministry is hosting its …


Measurements of electrical conductivity indicating elevated salinity is affecting the soil hundreds of meters from visible salt patches. (Rebecca Epanchin-Niell)

Environment

play sound

Researchers have found the amount of land affected by saltwater intrusion on the Delmarva Peninsula has dramatically increased in recent years…

Social Issues

play sound

This weekend marks the kickoff of National Bullying Prevention Month. Those raising awareness hope schools in South Dakota and elsewhere work toward …

Agrivoltaics is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the use of land for both agriculture and solar-energy generation. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

The arrival of fall has farmers transitioning to the harvest season, but what if some gathered their crops with rows of solar panels right alongside …

Environment

play sound

A new report finds more than half of the sewage facilities in Idaho had pollution violations in 2022. The sixth annual analysis by the Idaho …

Environment

play sound

Amid the United Auto Workers strike, some advocates argued it is time to implement clean car standards. Gary Schlack, a city council member in Allen …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021