THE MOSAIC PROJECT

THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL: WHILE TYPICAL OUTDOOR SCHOOLS FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, OURS ADDRESSES ISSUES OF DIFFERENCE AND BUILDS SELF-ESTEEM AND COMMUNITY. OUR STUDENTS NEVER FORGET THIS INSPIRING LEARNING EXPERIENCE. WE REACH THEM BEFORE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES SURROUNDING DIFFERENCE BECOME ENTRENCHED AND WE ENABLE THEM TO LIVE WITH, LEARN FROM, AND BEFRIEND OTHERS WITH WHOM THEY WOULD NOT ORDINARILY INTERACT. TOGETHER IN A BEAUTIFUL, NATURAL SETTING, THEY BEGIN TO RECOGNIZE THEIR COMMONALITIES AND GAIN RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FOR THE UNIQUENESS OF ALL INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING THEMSELVES. THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO OVERCOME IGNORANCEAND INSECURITIES WHICH CAN LEAD TO FEAR OF DIFFERENCE, PREJUDICE, DISCRIMINATION, HATRED, AND VIOLENCE. WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH THE PROFOUND, PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE, EGALITARIAN COMMUNITY ACROSS RACE, CULTURE, AND CLASS BARRIERS, INSPIRING AND EMPOWERING THEM TO CREATE SUCH COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THEIRLIVES. THE PARTNER TEACHERS INSTITUTE TURNS THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL INTO A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RETREAT FOR OUR PARTNER TEACHERS. WE PROVIDE WORKSHOPS EACH DAY TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE MORE DEEPLY WITH THE THEMES, MUSIC, AND MEMORABLE MOSAIC MOMENTS THEIR STUDENTS EXPERIENCE AND TO HELP THEM TO REINFORCE MOSAICLESSONS BACK IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. WE BUILD A SUPPORT NETWORK AMONG OUR PARTNER TEACHERS THROUGH WHICH THEY CAN EXCHANGE IDEAS AND PLAN JOINT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. Post Pandemic, 2023 was the first year we were able to run Spring and Fall sessions of the Outdoor School Camps. We ran 5 weeks of sessions in the Spring and 6 in the Fall for 11 total weeks of sessions for 2023. With the Outdoor School camps running at nearly pre-pandemic capacity, it was necessary to scale back the MCP programs from significantly higher Pandemic levels.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROJECT: WE OFFER LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR HIGH-SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AGED STUDENTS WHO SERVE AS MENTORS FOR THE 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS AT OUR OUTDOOR SCHOOL. THE PROJECTS CURRICULUM ADDRESSES ISSUES OF DIFFERENCE WHILE BUILDING LEADERSHIP SKILLS. YOUTH LEADERS UNDERGO EXTENSIVE TRAINING PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL. ONCE THERE, THE TRAINING CONTINUES AS THEY SERVE AS CABIN LEADERS FOR A SESSION, PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE. WE OFFER THE YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS YEAR-ROUND, INCLUDING DISCUSSIONS, WORKSHOPS, GUEST LECTURES, GAME DAYS, FIELD TRIPS, AND SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS. THE PROJECT ENCOURAGES THE GROWTH OF A VIBRANT CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNITY OF YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA.The Youth Leadership Project also returned to a pre-pandemic model of primarily supporting and complementing the Outdoor School camp program.