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Yampa Valley Science School PDF Print E-mail
Yampa Valley Science School serves over 200 Routt County sixth grade students each year in a residential, experiential environmental science camp.  Developed in 2000 in cooperation with local school districts, YVSS incorporates a five day educational curriculum, culminating with a conservation service project.  YVSS also engages dozens of Routt County junior and senior high school students who participate as Junior Leaders, providing mentoring, teaching, and supervision to the sixth grade students.  Additionally, Partners in Routt County provides six School-Based Mentors each year as the program's Senior Leaders, who supervise the Junior Leaders and provide the educational and programmatic oversight.

Goals and Outcomes Include:
1. To provide place-based environmental education through experiential and interactive lesson activities.
• Sixth grade students participated in 6 Resource Blocks (Observations, Conifers, Riparian, Aspens, Meadows, and Reflection/Summary).
• Updated 2008 YVSS curriculum that includes climate change and pine beetle experiential education lessons utilizing Yampatika volunteer educators.

2. To link the communities within the Yampa Valley.
• 6th grade students from Hayden, Soroco, and Steamboat Springs Middle Schools, home schooled, and North Routt Charter School participate in the program.
• Hayden, Soroco, home school, and North Routt Charter students were integrated in one of the program weeks.

3. To provide intergenerational links and mentoring opportunities for sixth graders, high school students, college students, and community adults.
• High School students from Steamboat Springs High School, Hayden High School and Soroco High School volunteered as Junior Leaders with the 6th grade students.
• Parent volunteers, middle school faculty, and Yampatika staff worked with 6th grade students and high school student volunteers.
• RMYC staff and conservation corps members were engaged in YVSS activities.

4. To foster integrated academic education with the public school systems.
• Middle Schools fully embrace curriculum and have remained committed to providing school input to ensure the YVSS program meets the school's current academic goals
• Students return to school and complete writing and presentation assignments based on their YVSS knowledge.
• Follow-up classrooms visits and outdoor activities with the 6th graders and the high school student volunteers are in place for the entire school year.