8. November 2008 by DSJC.

Were you lucky enough to have one of those teachers who brought education to life?  You know the kind, perhaps a history teacher who had your class reenact a famous scene?  Or maybe a science teacher who had you build a roller coaster then took your class to the local amusement park to shout out the names of the forces as you rode the coaster?  Well, if you had such a teacher, then you also very likely remember more of what THAT teacher taught you than you remember from other, less engaging classes.  You remember because you involved several if not all of your senses, which, researchers say, contributes to better learning and retention. 

Well, the kids of Orange County, Calif. now have a LOCAL resource through their schools, clubs, Scouting groups, churches for just such learning and growth experiences.  It’s the Outdoor Education Center in Orange, Calif., which is directed by Christine Kirk.  I’ve mentioned her articles before.  

Anyway, Chris and the Outdoor Education Center are currently featured in a couple of great articles by two online publications:  The Orange County Register Green OC blog and Root & Sprout.  The first is a good overview of what the Outdoor Education Center is about and shares that it will officially open this January with limited overnight camping programs.  The second is an article on the importance of outdoor experiences in science education, written by Christine Kirk, especially focused at the elementary school level.  For anyone interested in teaching their children about the environment (or making sure their kids learn about the outdoors), especially parents in Orange County, Calif., since they can get their schools, church & Scout groups and other organizations to take advantage of this really great facility, these two features are excellent reads.  Pass them along!

DSJC

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28. July 2008 by DSJC.

chris-sabrina-fennel-bkgnd.JPG 

One of my favorite clients, the Outdoor Education Center of Orange County, Calif., contributes a bi-weekly column called “Seeds to Sprouts” in the Home & Garden section of the Orange County Register.  The column runs every other Thursday online and every other Saturday in print.  I assist with editing and, in a pinch, with photography.  Because the Outdoor Education Center provides educational programming that focuses in part on environmental stewardship for local youth organizations, our photography goal is to provide images of Orange County children in nature.

I am excited to report that my daughter, Sabrina, was the model for this week’s “Seeds to Sprouts” article entitled, “Mini-Gardens For Kiddie Chefs.” 

The article, written by Christine Kirk, talks about herbs that grow naturally in Orange County and ways to get kids interested in growing their own herb gardens at home for use in the kitchen.  It also suggests what herbs to grow and how best to grow them.  To read the article, go to: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/herbs-garden-kids-2104773-kitchen-seeds.  Speaking of growing your own food at home, my son, Alex, was the photo feature of another of Christine’s articles, “Time to grow greens in the garden for salad making,” (not my first choice for a headline).  See the article here:  http://www.ocregister.com/articles/garden-tomatoes-summer-2062960-plants-salad. 

I love sharing through public relations!  DSJC.

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