TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL

SOEI Youth Programs are designed to immerse kids of all ages in the wildness and wonder of nature. By connecting youth to the outdoors, we aim to prepare (and, in many cases, create!) stewards of the future. For event details, visit our website at northland.edu/centers/soei.

June 12–16

Sailing, Art, and the Apostle Islands

Open to teens ages 14–17 who are interested in learning to sail, living aboard a tall ship for five days, and broadening their perspective of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore through creative exploration.

June 19–23

Stewards of Tomorrow: Island Adventures

Open to teens ages 14–17 interested in sailing, stewardship, hiking, and beachcombing. We will be living aboard a tall ship for five days, making stops to explore various island trails, forests, and beaches throughout the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

July 6–13

Stewards of Tomorrow: Backpack on Isle Royale

Open to girls ages 13–15 interested in a six-day wilderness backpack experience on one of the most beautiful islands on Earth! In addition to hiking five-totwelve miles a day, participants will work on a service project with Isle Royale National Park Rangers.

July 24–Aug 1

Stewards of Tomorrow: Boundary Waters Leadership and Adventure

Open to teens ages 13–17 interested in building skills in leadership and wilderness travel. Participants will learn skills in self care, reading maps and compasses, communication, outdoor living, cooking, natural history, and leading groups.

August 7–11

Girls Empowered Trails: Mt. Ashwabay

Open to girls ages 10–13 interested in getting outside, working hard, playing hard, and learning what it means to be a confident steward of this Earth.

Forest Play

In the fall of 2022, SOEI Youth Programs piloted Forest Play, an outdoor, nature-based program for three and four year-olds. Once a week through the fall, winter, and spring, Clair Emmons ’19 (SOEI Youth Programs fellow), Annalee Mott ’23 (SOEI Youth Programs work-study student), and Katherine Jenkins ’96 (SOEI Youth Programs

The Power of Storylistening

Listening to stories is an ancient tradition, one that spurs the imagination to consider other lives, different worlds, and new ideas. This is especially true with children, whose neural pathways are forming at an all-time high. We’re here to support the development of those pathways with our online Nature-based Reading Program!

director) support Forest Play participants to engage with the outdoors and their peers through curiosity and exploration, building on values of kindness, creativity, curiosity and stewardship. The consistent outdoor time also helps promote each participant’s physical development, including fine and gross motor skills, while supporting the overall health and well-being of all involved.

Featuring author readings by all of our children’s category SONWA winners, every video includes an idea guide of nature-based activities relevant to each story. Activities are designed for teachers and parents to help get young readers outside and interacting with the natural world. SOEI Youth Programs started our Nature-based Reading

Program during COVID-19 and will be visiting schools again at the start of the school year.

Each SONWA book featured in our collection captures the spirit of the human relationship with nature and promotes awareness, preservation, appreciation, and restoration of the natural world for future generations.