The Living Schoolyards Act Lecture Series: Equity, Educational, and Academic Benefits

Lecture #1 — March 08, 2023
Equity, Educational, and Academic Benefits of the Living Schoolyards Act

Green Schoolyards America hosted the first session of its five-part webinar series on the wide-ranging benefits of the Living Schoolyards Act. In each session, experts from a variety of disciplines highlight a group of benefits that living schoolyards—and this legislation when enacted—bring to children and communities across the nation. The sessions will provide information, resources, and ideas, and will help build a movement to pass this crucial legislation. We hope you will join us and invite your colleagues!

The Living Schoolyards Act (S-4993) is groundbreaking legislation that was introduced in the United States Senate in Fall 2022 by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM). Find out more about the bill and how you can support its passage here: https://www.greenschoolyards.org/livi...

On March 08, 2023, we were honored to feature panelists Whitney Cohen of Life Lab; Karen Cowe of Ten Strands; Liza Lowe of Inside-Outside; and Sarah Bodor of the North American Association for Environmental Education. They discussed some of the latest research findings on the wide-ranging academic benefits of living schoolyards and how the Living Schoolyards Act would bring more of these proven benefits to students across the United States.

GUEST SPEAKERS

Whitney Cohen, Education Director, Life Lab
Karen Cowe, CEO, Ten Strands
Liza Lowe, Director, Inside-Outside
Sarah Bodor, Director of Policy and Affiliate Relations, North American Association for Environmental Education

MEETING HOSTS

Nancy Striniste, MLD, National Policy Liason, Green Schoolyards America
Rachel Pringle, MA, Director: Strategy and Operations, Green Schoolyards America
Dante Sudilovsky, Communications and Program Coordinator, Green Schoolyards America

WEBINAR TIMING

0:00 Welcome by Nancy Striniste, Green Schoolyards America
4:50 Introduction of guest speakers by Nancy Striniste, Green Schoolyards America
6:10 Presentation by guest panelist Whitney Cohen
16:06 Presentation by guest panelist Karen Cowe
27:18 Presentation by guest panelist Liza Lowe
36:36 Presentation by guest panelist Sarah Bodor
47:00 Summary by Nancy Striniste, Green Schoolyards America
48:08 Q&A, moderated by Nancy Striniste and Rachel Pringle
56:00 Wrap up and next steps, Nancy Striniste, Green Schoolyards America

RESOURCES
Support the Passage of the Living Schoolyard Act!
https://www.greenschoolyards.org/livi...

Living Schoolyards Act Fact Sheet:
https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/imo/m...

Register for the Living Schoolyards Act Lecture Series:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regis...

UPCOMING LECTURES
Mar 28, 2023 11:00 AM (all times PT)
Apr 20, 2023 11:00 AM
May 10, 2023 11:00 AM
May 25, 2023 11:00 AM


FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GREENING SCHOOL GROUNDS AND CREATING LIVING SCHOOLYARDS, PLEASE SEE:

Green Schoolyards America
https://www.greenschoolyards.org/

Green Schoolyards America collaborates with school districts and public agencies to create Living Schoolyard Initiatives that transform asphalt-covered school grounds into park-like green spaces that improve children’s well-being, learning, and play while contributing to the ecological health and resilience of our cities. We are working to change the norm for school ground design, use, and management so that all children will have access to the natural world in the places they already visit on a daily basis.

Our programs support the living school ground movement, build relationships that help it succeed, and work to embed this perspective in our existing institutions and policy and regulatory frameworks.