E3 Environmental Education Volunteer

Save to Favorites

Catamount Institute is an environmental education non-profit based in the foothills of Colorado Springs. At the Institute, we offer environmental education programs to schools, scouts, and other groups interested in developing ecological stewards and enabling students to learn the value of our ecosystems. Elevate Environmental Education (E3) is our outdoor school program in Woodland Park that enhances classroom learning by teaching key concepts from the state standards through outdoor education and adventure activities. Kindergarten and 1st-gradestudents participate in 30-minute indoor and outdoor lessons at their schools while 2 nd through 5th-grade students attend 2-hour classes at a nearby 200-acre ranch. E3 uses the lens of the local place to build deeper connections to classroom content through project-based learning and hands-on exploration which provide a relevant learning experience for students and an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in their communities.

Location: Aspen Valley Ranch, Woodland Park, Colorado (Transportation provided to Woodland Park from Colorado Springs if needed)

Responsibilities:

• Co-teach or individually facilitate lessons to increase awareness and discovery of the environment; share your enthusiasm for the natural world
• Serve as a mentor and coach to all students
• Help organize students, teachers, and parent chaperones into assigned groups; assist with group management on trail and in field groups
• Prepare field equipment (such as field guides and binoculars); ensure return and storage at the end of class
• Remind groups of leave no trace ethics and guidelines for visiting the ranch
• Ensure a safe and positive experience for E3 students, parent chaperones, teachers, visitors, and other volunteers
• Record volunteer hours, observations, questions, suggestions, and concerns after each E3 class

Qualifications:

• Desire and enthusiasm for sharing nature with children
• Strong oral communication skills
• Completion of ranch volunteer environmental educator training
• Ability to commit to 30 volunteer hours to the E3 program or two 6-week 2-hour sessions during the school year.
• Willingness and preparedness to work in all types of weather with varying temperatures, as well as indoors
• Ability to hike and explore up to 1 mile, off-trail, over uneven meadow and forest, for 2-3 hours
• Experience working with children ages 5-10
• Appreciation for the natural world and spending time outdoors
• Must pass a background check with Woodland Park School District, Re-2

Benefits

• Watch students from diverse backgrounds experience the awe and wonders of the natural world
• Work with a team of dedicated and passionate staff and volunteers who share similar interests
• Acquire nature observation skills such as animal tracking and plant and wildlife identification
• Learn about natural history of the Pike’s Peak region
• Develop communication techniques to successfully work with youth and the public