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Bill aims to promote access to outdoor learning experiences for students in Maine

A new bill called "Outdoor School for All Maine Students" is making its way through the state Legislature.

WISCASSET, Maine — Middle school students in Maine may soon have the opportunity for more hands-on learning. 

Studies have shown that physical activities, as opposed to lectures, can help students learn better. With that in mind, several educational programs across Maine are offering such opportunities. 

Now, a new bill called "Outdoor School for All Maine Students" is making its way through the state Legislature.

Keith Crowley, vice president of program services at Chewonki, believes that this bill could make a significant difference in students' lives. 

"We have the best jobs in the world," he said. "We get to see these aha moments where students get to take their scientific skills and apply them to real-world experiences."

Currently, less than a quarter of Maine students have access to these programs, with rural and low-income communities being particularly underserved, Crowley explained. 

However, with the passing of this bill, all fourth through eighth graders in the state will have access to overnight programs designed to build self-esteem and team-building skills.

Crowley said he believes that these programs offer a unique opportunity for both teachers and students. 

"Because this is outside the traditional four-wall classroom, teachers and students get to see each other in new lights," he said. "Teachers get to see new abilities they may have not seen in the classroom, and also, students get to see teachers in a more vulnerable state."

The bill would provide $6.2 million dollars for three years to cover each student's classes, food, and housing for three days and two nights. 

The programs would involve interacting with plants and animals, which Jeremy Aines, assistant farm management at Chewonki, believes is an amazing way for young people to learn.

But Chewonki, one of the programs involved in this initiative, offers more than just overnight programs. 

In the fall and spring, it offers a semester-long program to 42 high school juniors from across the country, with two Maine students attending at half the cost. 

In the summer, it offers two- to three-week-long camp sessions starting in June.

"Having a positive experience on our farm, in the woods, and on the water, that is going to be something they will carry with them for the rest of their lives and help define who these people become," Aines said. 

While waiting for this bill to be taken to the House, the folks at Chewonki are planning to serve more than 300 campers at two camps this summer.

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