The Biosphere has been a local champion and leader for youth education programs for over a decade. Why? We want to inspire people of all ages to develop a sense of place, and to care about the unique natural and cultural features of our region. Thousands of students have participated in our Lessons-in-a-Backpack school programs, Water Festival held in Killbear Provincial Park, and our Kids in the Biosphere summer activities.
The extent of our reach, and the countless meaningful experiences had by young people, would not be possible without a network of partner support. A longstanding and active partner in education is the Rotary Club of Parry Sound.
Linda West is past president of the Rotary Club of Parry Sound. She says: “We have always been pleased to support the Biosphere’s youth programs. The Biosphere is providing opportunities for youth to actively discover and explore new things in the outdoors while having adventures and fun in the natural world. This has never been more important.”
For many years, Rotary’s support meant that bus loads of grade 4-6 students could attend the Georgian Bay Water Festival at Killbear Provincial park, put on with the help of Parry Sound High School. More recently, the Rotary Club has expanded their support to help even more kids participate, enabling the Biosphere to offer in-person monthly events that are free for anyone to attend!
Recent programs included Bats are Brilliant! in October, in which participants built bat houses and learned about Ontario’s at-risk bat species. An Art & Colour Hike in November, to brighten up the month, and the December Christmas Bird Count for Kids, an annual tradition to collect real citizen science information!
We’re grateful to the Rotary Club of Parry Sound for their ongoing support. Are you interested in joining a Kids in the Biosphere event? Follow us on Facebook or check out our events to see what’s happening!
