America the Beautiful

Dear Editor,

Today I was lucky enough to participate directly in the political process, testifying in the State Capitol on behalf of the Gore Range Natural Science School. I work for GRNSS as an educator, teaching field science courses for all the K-12 schools from Gypsum to Leadville. I love my job; I see a new group of kids almost every day, and my goal is to help them learn about the world around them.

As you know Mr. Editor, most of our kids in this valley speak English as their second language. Our valley is rich in the cultures of Mexico, Central, and South America. That’s why they hired me at GRNSS; I’ve spent a great part of the past 7 years in Spanish-speaking places, from Argentina to Cuba to Brooklyn, NY, and GRNSS is dedicated to providing top-quality programming for all kids, by offering programming in their first language whenever possible.

Last week I was teaching a Spanish language program up Buck Creek called “Animales en Invierno,” with a group of second graders. Many of them told me that it was their first time hiking in nature. As we turned up the canyon, one of the kids gasped, shouting, “¡Mira, una águila!” We looked into the cottonwoods, and sure enough, these kids who had never been on a hike were being stared down by a massive bird. “Black body… white head… yellow beak…” the kids described. At the end of the day, nearly every kid said that his/her favorite animal was a bald eagle.

I told that story to members of congress today, in order to illustrate the importance of environmental education. Our kids spend unprecedented amounts of time in front of TVs and computers, and for the first time ever, the younger generation has a lower projected life expectancy than their parents.

This is not the fault of the school system, but because the schools are filled with passionate professionals who care for the wellbeing of our children, they are picking up the slack. Non-profit entities like SOS Outreach, and Gore Range Natural Science School are creating programs to get kids out of doors and into their bodies, in ways that are proven to increase health and test scores.
Now the Colorado Congress is poised to support these organizations. With the passage of House Bill 1131, Congress creates a state environmental education plan, and an advisory committee to assess and support environmental education organizations.

Yes, the government process is painfully filled with motions and seconds and overlapping committees with various interests. Yes, I did yawn multiple times in the meeting today. But I also walked away feeling proud to live in Colorado, and proud of the work that I do for GRNSS, and hopeful for the future of Colorado’s children.

Sincerely,
Roddy Beall