Wildwood Outdoor Education Center

7095 W. 399th Street
LaCygne , KS 66044
phone: 913-757-4500
website: www.wildwoodctr.org

Since Wildwood Outdoor Education Center was established in1980, the target population of the Summer Learning Program has been Kansas City’s Urban Youth. Each year since then, we have served over 500 5th grade students from public, parochial and charter schools in the urban core of Kansas City Missouri and Kansas. While Wildwood serves the entire metropolitan area with many different programs throughout the year, the Wildwood Summer Learning Program mission is: “To provide children a unique outdoor experience that encourages social interaction and stimulates learning, especially urban children from the Kansas City region.” 596 urban students had a Wildwood Experience in 2008.
The students who attend Summer Learning each summer represent a diverse spectrum of Kansas City’s urban community. Young people come to Wildwood to learn about the environment and each other and all learn something about themselves along the way. Each day of the 5-day residential camp, Campers attend classes in the outdoors that discuss teaching tolerance and respecting diversity, learning about the natural environment, practice working together as a team and studying interrelationships among Wildwood’s ecological communities and the insects, birds and wildlife who live in them. They also rotate through swimming lessons, geology, pond studies, fishing, canoeing, cooperative games, sports and arts & crafts. One morning of each session is spent on the Adventure Challenge Course (low ropes course) practicing problem solving and critical thinking skills. One afternoon of each session is spent on The SkyWalker (high ropes course), which builds esteem and promotes positive risk taking.
Since 2002, we have implemented an evaluation program to track both camper development and satisfaction while at Wildwood. Our 2008 camper satisfaction survey told us that:
• 97% liked their Wildwood Experience.
• 95% would recommend Wildwood to their friends.
• 91% felt they learned a lot.
• 96% felt they would use the knowledge gained at school.
The 2009 Summer Learning Program will cost $162,000 to provide five 5-day sessions for 550 children. Fee income from schools and individual parents is budgeted at $60,500. The Mark and Judy Pallett Scholarship Fund, housed at The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, was established in 2000 in honor of Wildwood’s first Executive Directors. This fund is seen as a means of permanently endowing the Summer Learning Program. $21,000 from this account is budgeted to support Summer Learning in 2009. The balance of the 2009 Summer Learning Program budget, $80,500, is paid through contributions from foundations & corporations through Program Grants and our Annual Giving Campaign, and from board members and individuals through our Friends of Wildwood Campaign.
The Kansas City philanthropic community’s past support of Wildwood’s Summer Learning Program has been essential to our success. We have not wavered in our commitment to bring the Wildwood Experience to more and more urban youth but we must have the support of the community to do so. We sincerely hope that you will support our mission in 2009 through the Camps For Kids matching funds campaign. Also, please feel free to visit Wildwood any time it is convenient for you this summer, or check out Wildwood’s DonorsEdge Profile on The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation’s website: www.gkccf.org, to witness first hand the difference your contribution will make in the lives of Kansas City’s youth.