About A+ Community of Youth

The Sierra Club Great Waters Group, in partnership with the Sierra Club Foundation, released its A+ Community of Youth program on Saturday, April 21, 2007 in recognition of Earth Day 2007. 

This program is designed to educate and invite children to explore, enjoy, and protect the outdoors. Information is provided through the Kids' Guide to the Outdoors, this web site, and various activities which are coordinated for children to participate.

Purpose of the program's activities

A+ Community of Youth activities allow children to make use of community-building tools and give them opportunities to seek information about various environmental concerns, and learn what they can do to make a difference. They also get a chance to meet other children to enjoy activities with and can even participate in local Sierra Club activities if they so choose.

What is the Kids’ Guide to the Outdoors?

The "Kids’ Guide to the Outdoors" is a comprehensive 200 page guidebook designed for children and their “wheels” (e.g., parents, guardians, friends, bicycles, and rollerblades) to learn about the various parks and resources available them in the surrounding communities.

The guide contains main features, mailing and web addresses, hours of operation, and driving directions to over 100 state, county, and city parks, nature areas, nature centers and trails in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties.

Once at one of these locations, site-specific questions will stimulate their exploration and thought as they visit. These questions are directed at ages: 6 to 8, 8 to 10, and 10 to 12. One-dollar coupons are provided for the locations that charge admission. A child can also collect stamps at each location to receive age-appropriate gifts and an invitation to join A+ Community of Youth.

How much does the guide cost?

The guide’s content was developed through the tireless efforts of the members of the Great Waters Group Environmental Education committee. Printing costs were offset through donations. The largest underwriting donation was provided by the Assurant Health Foundation. Because of this generosity, 20,000 copies of the Kids’ Guide to the Outdoors were made available at no cost to children and their “wheels”. “We are pleased to support this outstanding educational and recreational resource for the people of Wisconsin,” said Rob Guilbert, President of the Assurant Health Foundation.

Where can children obtain their own copy?

by location...

• Milwaukee County: State Parks, County Parks and selected City Parks offices, Wehr Nature Center, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Urban Ecology Center, Head Start offices, and the Sierra Club office in Wauwatosa
• Ozaukee County: Riveredge Nature Center, State and County Park offices
• Washington County: Pike Lake State Park, County Parks and Ozaukee Washington Land Trust offices Waukesha County: State and County Park offices and Retzer Nature Center

by type...

• City Parks Offices: Franklin, Muskego, Waukesha, Brookfield, Greenfield, Mequon, Town of Cedarburg, West Bend, New Berlin, Pewaukee
• County Parks Offices: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, King Community Center, Kozy Community Center Nature Centers: Urban Ecology Center, Retzer Nature Center, Wehr Nature Center, Riveredge Nature Center, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
• State Parks Offices: Milwaukee DNR, Kettle Moraine Southern Unit, Kettle Moraine Northern Unit (few copies), Pike Lake Unit, Havenwoods, Harrington Beach State Park
• Others: Sierra Club Office, Growing Power, Hawthorn Glen, Milwaukee Public Libraries, Central Division (cataloged in the travel section), YMCA's, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Milwaukee Public School science educators, and other libraries