Grand River Outdoor Wilderness Education offers Outdoor Classroom school days, interpretive hikes and nature themed programs to youth, schools, groups, families, corporate groups and individuals. We can cater to any desired program duration from 2.5 hours to multiple day excursions!
The Outdoor Classroom is a safe and healthy alternative for all families. We live in an information-rich and connected poor society. Children are consuming information without generating curiosity for learning and connections to themselves, community and nature. Outdoor knowledge was once an important part of our everyday living but has now been misplaced through the generations from lack of education and nature connection. There is a need in our community to add nature connection opportunities to the children’s lives of today. It takes a village to raise a child.
GROWE offers nature immersion, attribute curriculum children’s programs. The programs will encompass a wide assortment of experiential and inquiry play-based learning. I am encouraging families to enroll their children in our outdoor nature-based school days that will get your wild ones outside, active as well as generate their curiosity and connection to nature. By offering forest school outdoor educational programming, we are encouraging children and their families to get outside and learn what nature has to offer.
Tara Carpenter has had a love of nature and the outdoors from an early age thanks to growing up on a Norfolk County farm and regularly engaging in wildness camping trips with her family as a child. Having traveled many parts of the world for 17 years extended Tara’s knowledge of the natural world and her love for this earth we call home. The most memorable experience of her travels was being a deck hand on a sailing ship exploring the Great Barrier Reef in Australia for 6 years. Now being a mother to two very active, creative, and outdoor loving 9-year old has inspired Tara to encourage other parents and their families to get outdoors. She is a recent graduate of the Adventure Expeditions and Interpretive Leadership Diploma program at Fanshawe College. During this time, she not only received honors but also multiple awards showcasing her leadership achievements and passion for environmental stewardship. Writing the column Out of the Ordinary for the magazine Live Small Town enables Tara to express her passions through writing. It is her enthusiasm for the great outdoors, conservation, sustainability and education that motivated her desire to sits on the Board of Directors of the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation. Being an interpretive guide on both water and land at The Grand River Rafting Company keeps her grounded while writing and delivering family outdoor events and curriculum-based school programs at Whistling Gardens gives Tara the opportunity to put her passions into action.
“My dream is to instill in others the love, passion and respect I possess for nature. I believe that the benefits of engaging our youth in the great outdoors are immeasurable. I hope to inspire both children and their families to engage regularly in the natural world.”
Laurel Grieve is an outdoor educator, wilderness guide and community member from Paris ON who has always been passionate about nature. She endeavors to feel at home in nature – that is, to embrace the weather, the biting insects, the mud along with the sunshine and flowers. Her hope is that others, through her work will respect and cherish nature too.
As a volunteer and professional, Laurel has a lifetime of experience with children. She loves sharing the wonder of life under a log or the joy of a bird’s song. Working with children in nature is truly a blessing for her. Her goal is to connect children to the land with deep nature awareness. From this awareness, children and leaders can learn the beautiful secrets of nature and become responsible living things.
GROWE Outdoor School is an exciting new adventure Laurel is honored to be a part of! Come outside and play with her, play is the work of children and we all learn while having fun.
Andrew has been an Outdoor Educator for over 8 years, at camps and outdoor ed centres in Central Ontario after graduating from Fleming College. Much of his experience at these places came from facilitating youth in leadership/teambuilding skills through activities like ropes courses, canoe tripping, and other outdoor games. These experiences have given Andrew a perspective on how to work with kids from differing backgrounds and learning styles.
In his free time Andrew camps, climbs, woodworks, and plays D&D. He is also an avid traveler, when he can, and wants to go to every continent (3 down, 4 to go!).
