Capital City Public Charter School & Potomac Appalachian Trail Club Partner to Promote Outdoor Educ

WASHINGTON - Aug. 31, 2015 - PRLog -- Capital City Public Charter School (“Capital City”) and The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) are embarking on a unique partnership intended to provide urban youth and their families opportunities to engage in year-round outdoor learning, community service and recreational activities.

On Thursday, August 27^th, PATC volunteers joined students, parents and staff from Capital City’s Lower School in Rock Creek Park for a back-to-school fieldwork experience, a key component of Capital City’s Expeditionary Learning approach, that included a picnic dinner, family hikes and other activities designed to celebrate families and encourage them to spend more time together outside.  This marked the first official event of this important partnership after a year’s worth of planning.

“It was great to have our families out enjoying nature in Rock Creek,” said Amy Wendel, Principal of Capital City’s Lower School. “What a great way to set the tone for the new school year. It gave families a sense of how we try to make use of the natural areas around us as learning environments. I think it encouraged them to get out and enjoy nature as a family, too.”

The relationship between Capital City and PATC developed from a shared commitment to address barriers that typically discourage people--young people and families in particular--from developing meaningful relationships to the natural world. Together , the two organizations are working to address issues of access to natural environments, lack of experience or confidence in nature, and persistent misperceptions that hamper families from getting outdoors.

Though in its early stages, Capital City and PATC expect that the partnership will become a model for other like-minded schools and nature-focused organizations. The participation of PATC volunteers, activities, and resources help build upon Capital City’s long commitment to providing all students with nature-based experiences through its Adventure program, which is an integral component of the school’s curriculum..

“As the population of the region grows and demographics change, PATC is making an effort to get underrepresented groups involved in outdoor activities,” said Dick Hostelley, President of PATC. “We want everyone to know about the natural wonders around them, and to be comfortable taking ownership of these resources that have been protected and created for them. Working with schools like Capital City will help us begin to develop the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and lovers of nature.”

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CAPITAL CITY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL is an award-winning public school of choice for children Pre-K through 12th grade. Capital City students complete a rigorous academic program that emphasizes both independent and collaborative learning within an inclusive democratic community.  Through the Expeditionary Learning model, students study compelling topics through authentic hands-on learning experiences that result in high quality products. The school serves a diverse population of 973 students in one consolidated facility in Ward 4.

A charter school is a free public school that operates independently of the local school system with funding determined by a per-pupil formula. The school is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization led by a board of trustees that includes parents, educators, community leaders, and financial and legal experts. Please visit www.ccpcs.org for more information.

The Appalachian Trail Club is a volunteer-based organization headquartered in Vienna, Virginia. The PATC was founded in 1927 by the visionaries who planned and built the Appalachian Trail. The club now manages more than 1,050 miles of hiking trails in the Mid-Atlantic region, along with cabins, shelters, and hundreds of acres of conserved land.