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Nature Preschool Program
Roots and Wings (for ages 4-6)

In Roots and Wings outdoor nature preschool, children ages 4-6 have fun and explore the natural world around them through nature activities for kids, such as songs, stories and walks, and by observing plants and animals with all of their senses.

As with all Wilderness Awareness Youth Courses, enrollment in our nature preschool is limited to ensure individual attention and mentoring opportunities for each child.

Roots and Wings Nature Preschool is committed to planting seeds for children's growth and connection with nature; safely, respectfully, with confidence and fun.

Activities and Focus

• Circle time with songs and stories
• Nature walks
• Familiarity with the four directions
• Nature awareness games
• Nature activities for kids
• Safety in nature
• Plant and animal awareness
• Sensory awareness
• Nature skills
  

2008-2009 Nature Preschool Information

Course Registration:	For more information about course registration or to apply, call our office: 425-788-1301
Class Meets:	Wednesdays, and/or Fridays; 9 am - 1 pm; Linne Doran, Duvall*. Participants choose to attend one, or two days per week. (*We are 15 min. from Woodinville, WA; 20 min. from Redmond, WA; 30 min. from Bellevue, WA; and 50 min. from Seattle, WA).
Classes start:	Sept. 10th and 12th, 2008 are the first days of the Wed. and Fri. programs.
Classes end:	The first week of June, 2009

Tuition

Annual: $1850 (one day per week); $3,600 (two days)

Non-refundable Deposit

$500, due upon registration (includes $25 place-holder deposit). Deposits are due upon registration. The remainder of tuition is payable in three payments due September 1, January 1, and April 1.

Scholarships

If you require tuition assistance, we invite you to submit a Scholarship Application along with your application for Roots and Wings Nature Preschool (download a Scholarship Application in PDF format, complete it and mail it in).

The non-refundable registration deposit is required to hold the place of all registrants, regardless of scholarship status. If, within two weeks of scholarship notification, scholarship applicants decide not to commit to the course, we will refund your deposit in full. (This is the only situation where the deposit is refundable.)

To Apply

Call the office: 425-788-1301

Our Educational Philosophy

At the core of our approach to educating young people is our concept of "Passion-based learning." This is the idea that every one of us has special gifts to bring to the world, things that spark our passions in life.

Our school's fundamental goal is to awaken this spirit in our students, and to help them identify and pursue their gifts. We believe that the most effective learning happens when young people are pursuing what they love, and so truly desire to learn.

Equally important is our philosophy that the most effective learning happens when students figure things out "on their own."

In their efforts to do this, they are individually guided by mentors who strive to create experiences and opportunities for students to discover their own answers.

We call this method Coyote Mentoring, a technique that encourages creative thinking rather than providing answers, and results in much deeper learning. It also stimulates the growth of problem-solving skills, and stretches the students into greater self-sufficiency in their living and learning.

Our Instructors

Sol Marie Doran is a Coordinator and a Lead Instructor at Roots and Wings. She is also a lead instructor at Youth School. She came to Wilderness Awareness School from southern California, where she worked with Wilderness Youth Project, ran an early childhood outdoor program, and earned a B.S. in Ecology. She currently studies naturalist skills with Kamana and herbalist skills at Ravencroft. Her other passions include beekeeping, ethnic dance, and gardening.

Cyndi O'Brien is a Coordinator and a Lead Instructor at Roots and Wings. She found her love for the natural world while attending summer camp as a youngster and being a camp counselor as a teen. After traveling Europe and attaining a University degree in Fine Arts and Crafts with an emphasis in Secondary Education, Cyndi found the work she loved--sharing nature with children. Cyndi has taught Environmental Education in Southern and Northern California for several years before and after graduating from the Residential Program in 2003. In 2006 after having adventures in Alaska, she returned to Washington and joined the Wilderness Awareness School staff to teach Youth School and Roots and Wings. Cyndi is excited about permaculture, canning food, sitting in her sit spot, music, learning more about nature and having wild adventures.

Stephanie "CW" Etley serves as an instructor with Roots and Wings. She is also an avid Kamana student! Before coming to Wilderness Awareness School, Stephanie worked as a Licensed Massage Therapist, was an instructor for another local wilderness school, and has been caring for children (including her own) in a variety of settings for over 20 years. Stephanie is very excited about combining her love for children with her passion for nature. She is also passionate about music, health and healing, birds, soccer, and camping with her family.

Laura Hersh is an instructor with Roots and Wings and Youth School. She is a lover of all things nature, and grew up by the Salt Marsh on Long Island where she spent many days in the woods fishing, catching frogs and just daydreaming. Laura has been an outdoor educator since 2001 with Nassau Boces Outdoor Education, Ferry Beach Ecology School, Touch of Nature Education Center, The Cache River Wedlands Center in southern Illinois, the SCA in Alaska - where she created a Junior Ranger program - and Nature Vision in Redmond, Washington. She is a 2007 graduate of Wilderness Awareness School's Residential Program. Laura loves mentoring children and learns daily through their wonder.