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STEM Networks Feature: Sierra Nevada Journeys

We interviewed Sean Hill to learn how Sierra Nevada Journeys is bringing STEM and the great outdoors together for  programs targeted towards youth education.

After more than 10 years with Sierra Nevada Journeys on the education team, Sean now leads Sierra Nevada Journeys’ fundraising and development. As an experienced educator, he brings hands-on expertise to building relationships and partnerships. Sean is a former science teacher with the Teach for America program and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Montana State University, a Master of Science in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University, a State of Nevada Teaching License in Secondary Biology, and a Wilderness First Responder through the Wilderness Medicine Institute (NOLS). He sits on the Advisory Board for the Nevada Teach Program at UNR, and the Informal STEM Learning Environments Subcommittee of Nevada Governor’s STEM Council. He loves helping to connect children with the outdoors and is also a big fan of deep powder snow.

Tell us a little about SNJ and who you serve.

Sierra Nevada Journeys is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that delivers innovative outdoor, science-based education programs for youth to develop critical thinking skills and to inspire natural resource stewardship. Through multiple points of contact, our classroom and virtual-based programs, overnight science camps, professional development for teachers, and parent engagement opportunities surround students with resources they need to succeed. All programs are designed to foster higher cognition and build long-term student achievement. Sixty-three percent of the 35,000 children that annually participate in our programs qualify for Free or Reduced meals at school, and more than 60 percent are youth of color. Also, 15 percent of the children who attend our programs are living with a disability. 

In Northern Nevada, with the recent arrival of the “big tech” companies like Switch and Tesla, it is critical to focus on preparing our youth now for the tremendous growth in STEM-based careers. At the same time, the community is growing and many new residents cite the beautiful landscape and access to outdoor recreation that northern Nevada offers.  Clearly, there is need to increase access to high-quality, impactful educational opportunities for youth in our community to build STEM literacy and outdoor stewardship.

What challenges has COVID-19 posed to SNJ and what have you done to overcome them?

With support from the Nevada Regional STEM Networks and other funding partners, Sierra Nevada Journeys rapidly adapted our programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent seismic shifts in education our local students have been facing. Sierra Nevada Journeys’ educators developed several new open-source digital learning formats, allowing us to continue to provide important educational opportunities to children, families and educators so that our STEM content, nature and backyard-based exploration and the development of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies could continue in novel ways. Despite shifting from in-person to virtual based programming, SNJ was still able to serve over 30,000 participants in 2020 with nine different online STEM units, 20 videos, 3 “virtual field trips” and 100+ bilingual lessons.

What are your plans for 2021?

As we move into the 2021 school year, Sierra Nevada Journeys recognizes that our local community has shifted as a direct result of both the COVID-19 pandemic and an equity focus to support Black, Indigenous and People of Color in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement. With this in mind, we are modifying our STEM programs by bringing in community stakeholders to amplify the experiences and perspectives of the diverse population of people and families who live in our communities. The Community Needs Assessment will include surveys, interviews and focus groups to further develop cultural relevancy and an equity focus in our programming. The Community Needs Assessment will support Sierra Nevada Journeys efforts to build intentional, mutually beneficial partnerships with these organizations and communities to support and create a thriving environment in classrooms across northern Nevada.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Sierra Nevada Journeys partnered with Great Basin Institute , Great Basin Outdoor School and Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation to create free virtual STEM lessons that support students and teachers with distance learning.

The Alternative Field Study Committee (AFSC) is a group of environmental organizations local to the Reno, Nevada metropolitan-area, who are committed to supporting environmental education opportunities for K-12th grade students. This committee has banded together to create programs that are catered to meet the unique new educational constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These resources are free, and designed with teachers in mind, to support both their distance and in-classroom learners with little-to-no amendments needed. Programs follow Next Generation Science and Common Core standards. Though these programs are designed for teachers and students in the public school system, they are also great resources for homeschool families, private school teachers, and youth-education programs. Each program comes with three resources: a pre-lesson component (educational video, PowerPoint, story, or activity that orients the learner to the concepts), the lesson itself, and a post-lesson component (which serves as a homework assignment or cool-down activity to wrap-up student learning and assist in measuring student comprehension).

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Sierra Nevada Journeys at Grizzly Creek Ranch

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Contact Information:

(775) 355-1688

[email protected]

sierranevadajourneys.org

5900 Grizzly Road, Portola, CA 96122

Our mission is to deliver innovative outdoor, science-based education programs for youth to develop critical thinking skills and to inspire natural resource stewardship.

To achieve our mission, Sierra Nevada Journeys offers a range of programs in Northern California and Nevada:

• Our science instructors deliver innovative curriculum for first-through-sixth-grade students, teaching in the classroom and leading one-day field science expeditions in the Reno and Sacramento areas.
• Fifth and sixth-grade students and their teachers attend outdoor school program called Overnight Outdoor Learning at our Grizzly Creek Ranch location in Portola, California. The 515-acre camp has modern facilities which accommodate 260 campers.
• We train teachers on engaging STEM lessons and outdoor learning for their classrooms.
• We engage families to reinforce classroom concepts through our Family STEM Nights.
• We use weekends and summers to expand our reach beyond schools, working within our community to deliver camps for people with disabilities, leadership development, and group and conference programs.

At Sierra Nevada Journeys, we believe that outdoor science education is not just a luxury, but a necessity. Additionally, 72 percent of the students we serve are from low-income families and 70 percent are students of color. Fundraising growth  enables us to ensure accessibility to programs for under-served students across our region.

We transform lives by building curiosity, confidence, and connections to nature, especially for students who are traditionally underserved.

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190 E Liberty St

Reno, NV 89501

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About the Business

Sierra Nevada Journeys' mission is to deliver innovative outdoor, science-based education programs for youth to develop critical thinking skills and to inspire natural resource stewardship. To achieve our mission, we offer a range of programs in Northern California and Northern Nevada. Our science educators deliver innovative curriculum for 1st-6th graders, teaching in the classroom and leading 1-day field science expeditions in the Reno and Sacramento areas. Our programs reach beyond the schools working within our communities to deliver camp-based programs at our Outdoor Education Camp in Portola, CA, including: summer camp, camps for people with disabilities, leadership development, teambuilding, Social Emotional Learning, and conference and meeting retreats. We host students and teachers for residential outdoor science learning programs at our 260-bed, modern Outdoor Education Camp. We train teachers on engaging STEM lessons and outdoor learning for their classrooms. We engage families through Family STEM Nights. …

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amazing staff and amazing campus they made my ryla experience OUTSTANDING Nicole was awesome Colleen was the best counselor and kept us safe and she had such a kind heart and loving soul Noah was so sweet Liz was so chill and taught me a lot about nature Josh is funny and amazing AND THE FOOD WAS FAN FRIGGIN TASTIC They worked hard to assure we had the best experience possible and i am forever grateful thank you

We received a field trip packet from Sierra Nevada Journeys- children are only permitted to participate if their parents agree to allow Sierra Nevada Journeys to use images of their child for marketing and advertising. Soliciting children in this manner is so insanely immoral. Many parents are reluctant to post images of their children online due to predators, which any child-centered program should understand. For this program to suggest they're not being paid while essentially forcing a trade of free modeling in exchange for an experience is, again, immoral.

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Business Owner

Jun 9, 2023

Thank you for letting us know that adding a check box to the slip would be ideal. Please note that most people just add a note "no photos please" or "x" through it to decline photos. The information above is not accurate; students would NEVER be declined attending a field day simply because they didn't wish to be photographed. All photos are deidentified, don't list their names and are only used after a program is complete. The photos are primarily shared with the teacher in order to share with their students and families. Please know that you can call us at 775-355-1688 any time for clarification or more information about a program, process or procedures. Sincerely, Sierra Nevada Journeys

This is such a beautiful campus filled with amazing staff. It is such a great learning environment for everything from science to leadership. I went here this past week and met so many amazing new people, learned so many amazing new things, and grew so much as a leader.

See all photos from Shealyn K. for Sierra Nevada Journeys

okay first of all im a kid and my whole class went there for a week ( each kid had to pay 300 dollars ) i thought it would be all fun and games but no. sometimes it was fun. but on things such as " the flying squirrel " i got DRAGGED along the ground and my dad had to scream for them to stop! and then on this giant climbing tree thing ( i can't remember the name of it ) i got stuck and someone had to climb up there and get me. and then one group would get to do fun things and the next group wouldn't it was very unfair and it was not very fun so if you want your kid to go here i would suggest not maybe choose a better place that actually cares about children and basic safety precautions!

My little sister has been through several of the different programs that Sierra Nevada Journeys offers. She has loved every one of them! She has been up to Grizzly Creek Ranch, and she just raves about how much fun it is and how much she learned. I think it's so important that we get our youth outside and educated about our natural world so that they will grow to appreciate our planet and respect it's beauty and importance in our lives. Sierra Nevada Journey's work fulfills this need for our youth. I strongly urge all parents to contact SNJ and find out how their kids can benefit in so many ways from SNJ.

This was my daughter's 4th year at Summit Camp, which is currently held at the Grizzly Creek Ranch near Portola. Of all camps she has ever been to, this has always been her favorite. She always comes home with numerous fun stories to tell. Jonathan is always a pleasure to be around, and he has so much passion for what he does; he is truly a blessing for these kids! I highly recommend this camp for building & strengthening self esteem & general well being.

Great job with Family Camp this past year! What an exciting time we had. The facilities are so clean and new -- a real hidden gem. Thank you for including our 1yr old the same way you included the older kids. We had a blast and are definitely reserving a cabin for next year.

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Sierra Nevada Journeys

190 E Liberty St, Reno, NV 89501

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