Youth / Students

Last legislative session our leaders almost did the right thing. They very nearly passed a Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights, which would set the stage for connecting every New Mexico child with the outdoors. There was no real reason this bill didn’t pass, other than lack of time.

Why do we even need a Bill of Rights that gets our children moving outside?

By Kristina Ortez de Jones, Southwest Youth Representative

By the time you read this, Sierra Club delegates from the Mission Outdoors Program will already have clicked their way down the halls of Congress to let their elected leaders know the importance of protecting public lands and providing opportunities for young people, veterans and their families to connect with the outdoors.

By Kristina Ortez de Jones, Southwest Youth Representative

John Muir loved the outdoors, and when the Sierra Club was founded back in 1892, outings to special places in the Sierras inspired passion among the Club’s early members. Outings have always been a special part of the Club, and it’s been integrated with two of Sierra Club’s Youth Programs.

By Kristina Ortez de Jones, Southwest Youth Representative

What do you get when you give a kid an annual ski pass in exchange for no drama and no drugs? You get a pretty happy, healthy young person who will spend the winter skiing or snowboarding.

Hey kids - check out Scijinks, a web site with lots of informative and cool stuff

click here to visit Scijinks

Scijinks is brought to you by NASA and also NOAA

Op-Ed by Kristina Ortez de Jones published in the Santa Fe New Mexican on February 14, 2011

If you grew up in New Mexico, you may remember long summer days playing along acequias or exploring the bosque. Old-timers may recollect digging for arrowheads or hiking in desert or forest landscapes.

No matter where you grew up, most of us have common memories of outdoor experiences. Unfortunately, this is not the norm for children living in modern-day New Mexico. With increased classroom hours and more time in front of a screen, fewer and fewer children are spending time outside experiencing New Mexico's natural heritage.

Sarah is a second grader in Las Cruces who is concerned enough about the effects that climate change will have on the planet that she is taking action to do something about it. Her principal agreed to let her regularly broadcast her “Green Tip of the Week” to the school about the problem and how kids can help. We think grownups can help, too, so we are pleased to introduce Sarah’s Green Tips here:

by Sarah, age 8
Hi, everyone. I’m Sarah, with your Green Tip of the Week.

Today’s green tip is Water is Life.

Do you remember running along the acequia when you were a kid, or playing in the park in the summers until the streetlights came on?

These activities, which many of us took for granted as children, are not modern-day realities for most of New Mexico’s young people. With the rise of technology and more “seat time” in schools, fewer and fewer children are getting outside and connecting with nature.

On August 5, nearly 200 teachers, public health professionals, conservationist and parents gathered for the first Getting Kids Outside forum at the Bosque School in Albuquerque.

The summit aimed to start a dialogue about how getting our kids moving outdoors could provide a tool to combat the growing childhood-obesity issue in the state.

A blinking red-eyed tree frog and flitting butterfly greet visitors to the new NASA Climate Kids website. Targeting grades 4 – 6, this kid-friendly guide de-mystifies one of the most important science issues of our time. The site answers the “Big Questions” about global climate change using simple illustrations, humor, interactivity, and age-appropriate language.