Laurel Springs School Connects Students and the Environment with Kids4Earth Course

Laurel Springs School and the UNEP Global 500 Forum announce Kids4Earth, the first online environmental curriculum for grades six through eight.

OJAI, CA (PRWeb) June 1, 2007 -- Laurel Springs School, the leader in personalized distance learning education for preK-12 students, and the UNEP Global 500 Forum today announced Kids4Earth, the first online environmental curriculum for grades six through eight. This integrated core science curriculum offers students the opportunity to learn about the environment, take action on a wide range of ecological and preservation issues, and become citizens who are aware of and connected to life on Earth.

Kids4Earth was written by Laurel Springs with support from members of the UNEP Global 500 Forum. Each of the 36 lessons focuses on the work of the Global 500 Laureates who have won international recognition for their achievements in bringing about environmental awareness and change. "Kids4Earth, an online educational tool for children, fits well with UNEP's mandate to educate and empower individuals to take a stand on behalf of the environment," said Eric Falt, the UNEP Director of the Division of Communications and Public Information. "The course, with weekly lessons and environmental activities, unites the technology of the Internet with concerns for the environment. It also provides children with role models of real people who have been acknowledged by UNEP as examples of global stewardship or leadership. We welcome this initiative."

Students study a wide range of environmental issues as they relate to life, physical and earth sciences. Environmental pioneers like Jane Goodall and Globetree Foundation share their stories and experiences and through their journeys, students explore the planet and its plants, animals and people. The mission of Kids4Earth is to "empower children individually and collectively to help restore the Earth and become its responsible stewards." Kids4Earth ensures that students are informed and empowered to take action on a wide range of environmental activities. Working closely with the UN Global 500 Forum, the United Nations Environmental Programme, the Learning Springs Learning Corporation, and the Laurel Springs Educational Foundation, Laurel Springs School aims to offer the course to children around the world.

Laurel Springs has long been involved with charitable activities, and bettering the environment has remained a top priority for the school. Laurel Springs School is an accredited private school offering personalized distance learning programs for kindergarten through high school students. With more than 4,250 students in 50 states, as well as students in 43 countries, Laurel Springs makes use of web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum, and personalized instruction to give each student an educational experience that is best for them. Under the guide of its director, Marilyn Mosley Gordanier, Laurel Springs has garnered such awards as the President's Environmental Youth Award, the United Nations Global 500 Award, and the Earth Prize. Gordanier herself was a key presenter at the UNEP's International Children's Conference on the Environment in Malaysia in 2006.

Laurel Springs has decided to take the next step and offer a Kids4Earth course as part of its regular curriculum. It was developed by Laurel Springs director and Global 500 Forum president, Marilyn Mosley Gordanier and co-authored by Laurel Springs teacher, Beverly Mills in response to a perceived need for a socially conscious online environmental curriculum after numerous requests from parents and teachers. "Never before has a school put together an online program like this one. The objective is to create strong leaders with a taste of activism for the environment," said Marilyn Mosley Gordanier, executive director and founder of Laurel Springs School.

Kids4Earth gives students the opportunity to do ecological volunteer work and receive "eco-credits" for their good job. At the end of the course students are given their own "Eco-hero" certificate to commemorate their tasks and honor their future as protectors of nature. To keep the class interesting and informative, each lesson is broken up into different parts, including a theme (such as "Temperate Rainforests" or "Becoming an Environmental Detective"), a geographical location, and a Global 500 Laureate (e.g., a person such as Jane Goodall or an organization such as Greenpeace), and an eco-activity. By examining the work of Global 500 "eco-heroes," the course encourages students to become "eco-heroes" themselves and pursue environmental action in their own community.

About Laurel Springs School Laurel Springs School, an accredited private school, delivers personalized K-12 distance-learning programs with a commitment to academic and creative excellence. Established in 1991, Laurel Springs School is the leader in distance learning education for kindergarten through high school. Each Laurel Springs student receives personalized, one-to-one instruction. With a student population of more than 5,000 - comprised of students from all 50 states and 43 countries - Laurel Springs makes use of web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum, and personalized instruction to offer students a top-notch home education experience, no matter where they live.

To learn more about Laurel Springs School go to www.laurelsprings.com
To learn more about UNEP go to www.unep.org
To learn more about the Global 500 Forum go to www.global500.org
To learn more about Kids4Earth go to www.Kids4Earth.org