Visit Meroby Elementary School in Mexico, Maine, on just about any day of the week and you will find classes of students learning in the woods. All grades go outdoors regularly to learn a variety of subjects, from language arts to science and math, inspired by nature. Through hands-on outdoor activities, teachers have turned the forest into an extension of their classrooms.

Meroby’s students learn to track wildlife, identify trees and keep bees (and sell the honey!). With 150 bee suits, every child at Meroby is not only a student but also a beekeeping entrepreneur. The community has recognized the value of outdoor learning so much that it was integrated into the design of the new Mountain Valley Community School opening next year.

Learning outside improves students’ academic performance, advances critical thinking skills, and supports personal growth, while building confidence and leadership skills. Outdoor classes also promote physical activity and can address issues like stress and anger. Exposure to nature can reduce stress levels in children by as much as 28%. In keeping with this, the guidance counselor at Meroby Elementary School joins the students for outdoor lessons on friendship, emotions and collaboration.

As the school’s outdoor learning program grew, teachers noticed that students needed more outdoor clothing to feel comfortable. A few years ago, they applied for an outdoor learning grant from the nonprofit Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA), which they received. Over the past few years, Meroby Elementary has used grant funds from MEEA to purchase winter gear for students, including insulated boots and gloves, along with binoculars, compasses, backpacks, microscopes, magnifying glasses, wagons and sleds.

MEEA launched the Mini-Grants for Outdoor Learning Program four years ago to address exactly these sorts of funding gaps. Since then, more than 350 schools across all 16 of Maine’s counties have received grants, representing over $630,000 in total funding. The grants have supported science exploration, infrastructure, outdoor gear and more, enabling educators to bring outdoor learning to more than 100,000 students across the state.

The impact is clear. “Our students have shown growth in communication skills, background knowledge, stamina and overall happiness,” said Meroby teacher Kelcie Virgin. Outdoor learning also connects students to their communities. In Mexico, a local snowmobile club maintains trails to make access easier for the students, community members help with the beekeeping program, and the Sunday River Adaptive Ski Program donated a sled so students of all abilities can participate in winter programming.

It’s not just younger students who benefit from these opportunities. At Old Town High School, science teachers have developed outdoor research projects to engage their students, such as aquatic surveys of water quality and amphibian spawning. The teachers used a MEEA grant to purchase rain jackets and chest waders to ensure all students would have the equipment they needed for their research.

With reports showing that many kids are spending more than seven hours a day with electronic media and facing unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, access to nature and outdoor learning has never been more important for students’ health and well-being. If you know a teacher in Maine who might benefit from these funding opportunities, please share the outdoor learning grant info at meeassociation.org. All Maine public school teachers pre-K to grade 12 may apply. And if you’d like to help increase outdoor learning in Maine schools, please contact MEEA and donate to the mini-grant program.

MEEA is just one of many incredible community-based nonprofit organizations in Maine that partner with teachers and schools to increase access to outdoor learning. As our children return to school, join us in cheering them on – and celebrating the amazing educators who make Maine a national leader in outdoor learning!

“Nature Connects” is a monthly column showcasing conservation stories from people and organizations across Maine. To learn more or suggest story ideas, email reply@mcht.org.