Program+Information

= =

= = = = = = = = = = =   = = ** Program Information ** =

**Kinard C.A.R.E.S.** **Community - Action - Results - Environment - Service** **__﻿ __****__ What is Kinard CARES? __** Kinard CARES consists of 25 high achieving students at Kinard Middle School who share the common vision of raising environmental awareness while making a difference in our local community. Kinard CARES is a yearlong ELO program that focuses on environmental leadership, service-learning and sustainable living. The goal of the program is to help students recognize the interconnectedness of natural and human-built systems. Once students grasp the connections between a stable economy, a healthy environment, equitable social systems, and their role as global citizens, they are successfully launched into an already more sustainable world – a world that they are empowered to protect and enjoy. //(Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation) @http://celfeducation.org///

**__Program Curriculum__** Students enrolled in Kinard CARES will be exposed to authentic leadership development activities and a project based environmental stewardship curriculum. This curriculum will focus on studying our natural environment and using these systems as a model to help create sustainable practices for our human-built society. Throughout the year, students will collaborate on service-learning projects that encourage the development of important 21st century skills. These projects have had a huge impact on our school and community. Our most successful project resulted in the first comprehensive composting program in Poudre School District and continues to lead the way toward our zero waste goals. In the last two years, our compost program has diverted over 30,000 lbs of food waste from the local landfill. Kinard CARES has also been collaborating with many community organizations including CSU Graduate Students in Business Administration & Construction Management, GSI Waste, City of Fort Collins, Sunrise Ranch, Colorado Association for Recycling and other community members. These partnerships help to enhance learning experiences and generate meaningful work that truly makes a difference.

** One essential element of the Kinard CARES curriculum is a service-learning adventure trip to //Catalina Environmental Leadership Camp// at Catalina Island CA **//. // The purpose of this trip is to serve the Catalina Island community as well as develop environmental leadership skills. This experience will empower the students, and give them an important student voice, allowing them to apply their stewardship skills directly to Kinard Middle School and the greater Fort Collins community. Unique recreational activities on the trip will provide great opportunities for students to enrich their perception of our natural world and help them to apply their learning in meaningful ways.

// "Kinard CARES will promote the development of environmental leadership skills of students and demonstrate how to live a sustainable lifestyle through service-learning and community outreach." //
 * Mission Statement **



1. Students will explore how to live more sustainable lives on this planet and learn what young people can do to make a difference. 2. Students will raise awareness about environmental issues by designing their own projects. 3. Students will become active members of their local communities through service-learning experiences. 4. Students will strive to implement new school programs (recycling/composting). 5. Students will gain leadership skills and interpersonal relationship skills through team building activities and the Catalina Environmental Leadership Program (C.E.L.P.). 6. Students will establish positive partnerships within our local community and Catalina Island Camps. 7. Students will use journals and personal reflection as a tool to analyze their own lives and the effectiveness of the activities within the Kinard CARES program. 8. Students will plan and organize their own trip to Catalina Island Camp through fundraising and teamwork. 9. Students will have fun learning through personal projects and hands on field-work.
 * __ Goals and Objectives __**