Donor Spotlight: The Coastal Fund At Wilderness Youth Project, we have become deeply connected to our coastal ecosystems at places like Gaviota, Haskell’s Beach, Ellwood, Campus Point, and many more beaches from Goleta to Carpinteria. Witnessing many of our participants explore our local coast for the first time in their lives, we understand the power …
Could bad news drive good change? Test Scores & Mental Health On October 24th the LA Times delivered the news that, as measured by the 2022 Smarter Balanced Assessment System, 2 in 3 students don’t meet California Department of Education’s math standards and more than half did not meet the English standards. [1] Nearly a …
The Treasures of Nature Donate Today You are the reason kids are out in nature exploring, playing, learning, and growing with us at Wilderness Youth Project. You help children open their eyes to the treasures of nature while supporting their mental and physical health. Imagine this You are with a group of young Treefrog campers, …
Storyteller Nature Play Day WYP + Storyteller Wilderness Youth Project and Storyteller Children’s Center have partnered for many years. Storyteller is a Santa Barbara based therapeutic preschool providing high-quality early childhood education for children facing adverse challenges in Santa Barbara County and comprehensive support services for their families. Through WYP’s Bridge to Nature program, WYP …
A peek into Woolly Bear land Our Woolly Bears preschool program is special because it brings a group of children together in the same location, multiple days per week. Your child has the opportunity to continue a project or theme of play that they started the day before in a seamless manner. There is a …
WYP Welcomes New Board Members Wilderness Youth Project (WYP), the leading nature connection organization in Santa Barbara County, is proud to announce the addition of Devon Azzam and Teresa Romero as Board Trustees. With the addition of these two respected leaders, WYP is responding to our community’s increasing recognition that all children need nature. Their …
The Gift of Time in Nature Donate Today The foggy marine layer is rolling in and out most days while the Tipu and Gold Medallion trees counter the gloom with bright yellow flowers. The local streets and parks are lined with nature’s confetti, soft purple Jacarandas flowers. Out your own window, on your own walks, …
Building a Bridge to Nature A Hesitant Participant His first time coming to program, Mateo* stood stiffly and quietly beneath the blossom tree in front of the El Centro community center, a partner in WYP’s Bridge to Nature program. Sky blue eyes turned down to the leaf-covered grass, he looked like he wanted to be …
Smarter, Happier, Healthier: Connecting with Your Inner Child By: Julia Barrera, WYP Intern It was a cool Wednesday afternoon and the campus of UCSB was filled with golden light as the sun gave way to dusk. My white Filas crunched on the gravel path along the lagoon behind the university center. It was my first …
Kittyhawk Takes Flight: Finding Gratitude in the Clouds By: Julia Barerra, WYP Intern Amid the rocky sandstone of White Mountain, just north of downtown Santa Barbara, Kittyhawk was poised to grow wings. There was no better day to take to the sky. Across the scenic, azure backdrop of the California horizon were thick cumulus clouds, …
