All Minnesota students deserve equitable access to outdoor experiences where they can learn, play, and grow.

Osprey Wilds is part of the Outdoor Schools for All Minnesota – a coalition of the state’s five accredited, overnight Outdoor Schools. The coalition is championing legislation that would give every Minnesota student the opportunity to connect with nature by attending an accredited overnight outdoor school.

The bill, entitled Outdoor School For All Minnesota was introduced in the legislature on May 11, 2023. It was carried by Rep. Kristi Pursell and Sen. Grant Hauschild.

Minnesota Outdoor School For All is a grant that would fund a three-day, two-night immersive nature experience for every fourth through eighth-grade student. This would include all programming fees, transportation, and ancillary costs such as teacher stipends, thus making these trips entirely free to students and schools. 

The goal is for the bill to be considered as part of the May 2024 Supplemental Budget Session. Over the course of the next year, the Outdoor Schools of Minnesota will take the message to the public, schools, and organizations with vested interests in Outdoor Education and Minnesota students.

Outdoor School For All Minnesota consists of Deep Portage Learning Center in Hackensack, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Osprey Wild Environmental Learning Center in Sandstone, and Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland.

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For more information, go to www.outdoorschoolforallmn.com, or contact Osprey Wilds Executive Director Bryan Wood at 320-290-8246 or via email at wood@ospreywilds.org.