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Muddy Sneakers Outdoor Classroom Essentials

Muddy Sneakers is hiring! We are seeking an experienced and mission-driven Executive Director to lead Muddy Sneakers into its next chapter. This is an exciting opportunity for a collaborative nonprofit leader who is passionate about outdoor education, youth development, and connecting children to the natural world. The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership, support our dedicated team, cultivate community partnerships, and help advance our mission and long-term growth. If you are a strategic thinker, relationship builder, and committed leader who believes in the power of outdoor learning, we encourage you to learn more about this opportunity. 📍 Location: North Carolina, with Triangle/Triad preferred 💼 Position: Full-time, remote/hybrid Know someone who might be a great fit? Please share this post with your network. Learn more and apply through the link in our bio. #MuddySneakers #NowHiring #ExecutiveDirector #NonprofitLeadership #OutdoorEducation #EnvironmentalEducation #NorthCarolinaJobs

🌱 Time well spent outside 💚 Thank you for celebrating with us at the @peancorg Earth Day Fair, @raleighdowntown Earth Day, and Wild Ideas Event by @trianglelandconservancy! We loved seeing your curiosity, your excitement, and your love for the environment. 🌎✨ Drop a 🌿 if we saw you there!

🏒🌿 A Game Changer for Muddy Sneakers! Yesterday, we visited Lenovo Center to receive our $20,000 Game Changer grant from the @canes! On behalf of the thousands of students we serve across North Carolina, thank you to the Hurricanes for investing in outdoor science education. 💚 Sometimes, learning outside the classroom makes all the difference. With support like this, we can help more students build confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning! Thank you, Carolina Hurricanes, for helping make these experiences possible! 🌎🔬 #MuddySneakers #CarolinaHurricanes #GameChanger #OutdoorEducation #HandsOnLearning

🌿 Love teaching? Love the outdoors? Why not combine both? Muddy Sneakers is hiring Educators in both the Piedmont and Mountains regions of North Carolina! If you're passionate about helping students discover science through hands-on outdoor learning, we'd love to hear from you. Join a team that's inspiring curiosity, building confidence, and connecting kids with the natural world every day. Explore our current openings and apply today through the link in our bio!

🌎 On May 16, supporters of Muddy Sneakers gathered at Gwynn Valley Camp for an evening of gratitude, connection, and celebration. ⭐

Safety First at Muddy Sneakers! 🌿 Our Piedmont educators, Stella Sofia and Lucy Carte, recently completed CPR, AED, and Wilderness First Aid training at Davidson College, led by experienced instructors from Landmark Learning in partnership with NOLS. Over 19 hours of hands-on instruction, they learned essential skills for responding to medical emergencies, from injuries and illness to evacuation planning. Their certifications are valid through October 2028, helping ensure they’re prepared to keep themselves, our students, and adult chaperones safe during outdoor adventures! We’re proud of Stella and Lucy for investing in their skills and helping make outdoor learning both meaningful and safe! 💚 #MuddySneakers #OutdoorEducation #WildernessFirstAid #SafetyFirst

🦋 Nature Find Friday: Definite Tussock Moth Caterpillar! 🌿 🧐 What it is: This fuzzy little caterpillar is a definite tussock moth caterpillar (Orgyia definita). With its bright yellow tufts, dark markings, and long hairs, it certainly knows how to stand out in the forest! 🌳 Did you know? These caterpillars feed on a variety of trees and shrubs, helping move energy through the food web as they grow. Their distinctive tufts and hairs also provide some protection from predators. ⚠️ Look, but don’t touch! Like many tussock moth caterpillars, their hairs can cause skin irritation, so it’s best to admire them from a distance. 🔍 Nature challenge: Have you ever spotted a fuzzy caterpillar like this one? Take a closer look next time you’re outside. You might be surprised by how many different caterpillars are hiding in plain sight! 🐛💚 #NatureFindFriday #MuddySneakers #NatureEducation #OutdoorLearning #Caterpillar #TussockMoth #NatureExploration #GetOutside

Who are Muddy Sneakers Annual Partnerships for? ✅ Elementary schools looking to enhance science instruction ✅ Districts prioritizing experiential and outdoor learning (ask about our school-district discount!) ✅ Educators seeking meaningful, standards-aligned field experiences Check out the map to see where our programs take place: https://muddysneakers.org/programs/program-locations/ Schools outside these counties may still be eligible to participate. (Please note: long-distance travel fees and restrictions may apply.) Contact us to discuss options!

🌿 Educator Spotlight: Eden Simmons! 🥾 For Eden, a love of nature started close to home. Growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, she developed a deep appreciation for the region’s forests, wildlife, and incredible biodiversity. That passion led her to earn a degree in ecology from @unc_asheville and eventually find her place at Muddy Sneakers! Today, Eden brings her love of science and the outdoors to students, helping them ask questions, make observations, and discover the natural world for themselves. 🔍 Her goal is to inspire the next generation of curious explorers and help students build their own connections to nature. Want to learn more about Eden and her journey with Muddy Sneakers? Visit her educator bio! 🌱 🔗 Read Eden’s Bio by clicking on our link! #MuddySneakers #MeetOurEducators #OutdoorEducation #NatureEducation

🌿 Textbooks introduce scientific ideas. Outdoor experiences bring them to life. When students engage directly with nature, learning becomes more meaningful, memorable, and relevant.

🔍 What do curiosity, hands-on learning, and the scientific process have in common? They’re all part of learning with Muddy Sneakers! 🌿 We use an inquiry-based approach that encourages students to ask questions, investigate, analyze data, and discover answers for themselves. 🧪 During our Matter program, students put this approach into action by building nests to explore conductors and insulators. Using a cup of hot water as their “egg,” students observe changes in temperature to discover which materials do the best job of keeping their nests warm. 🥚🌡️ By making observations and drawing their own conclusions, students aren’t just learning science concepts. They’re thinking like scientists! What would you use to build a nest that keeps an egg warm? Share your ideas in the comments! 👇 #MuddySneakers #OutdoorEducation #ScienceEducation #InquiryBasedLearning #HandsOnLearning

🌱 Your legacy can help future generations grow a lifelong connection to nature. This National Estate Planning Awareness Week, we're celebrating the meaningful ways we can support the people and causes we care about. For many, estate planning begins with taking care of loved ones. And sometimes, there's an opportunity to leave a meaningful gift to a cause close to your heart. By including Muddy Sneakers in your will or naming us as a beneficiary of a retirement, investment, or bank account, you can help ensure that more children experience the wonder of outdoor education for generations to come. 💚 Support outdoor education. Inspire future environmental stewards. Create lasting change. Learn more about leaving a legacy through the link in our bio. #MuddySneakers #LegacyGiving #PlannedGiving #OutdoorEducation #EnvironmentalEducation #LeaveALegacy

Teachers Inspire Exploration 🍂 Teachers help students see the world in new ways every single day. Pair that passion with outdoor education, and amazing things happen. 🌳 Students become active learners who investigate the natural world with excitement and confidence. Every adventure outside creates opportunities for meaningful connections. Tag a teacher who inspires curiosity in their classroom! 🍎

🌿 Every child deserves the chance to learn outside. 🌿 As we approach the end of our fiscal year, Muddy Sneakers is working to raise $250,000 by June 30 to ensure more students across North Carolina can experience hands-on, outdoor learning. With grant funding more limited this year, support from individuals is more important than ever. Every gift helps connect children to the joy of learning in forests, streams, and fields while building confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong connection to the natural world. Join us in reaching our goal and helping more students discover the outdoors as a place for learning and growth. 💚 Donate today through the link in our bio. #MuddySneakers #OutdoorLearning #EnvironmentalEducation #NorthCarolina #Nonprofit #EndOfYearGiving

“It's great watching the kids out in the Muddy Sneakers Outdoor Classroom...the introverted dig into the experiments with great concentration, while the super-active ones get focused on finding nature in every way possible. For many students, their Muddy Sneakers program is one of the few times they get to experience nature firsthand...and be able to explore the outdoors carefully guided by the instructors. Seeing and appreciating science in nature.” – Rick Houck, Chair, Muddy Sneakers Board of Directors At Muddy Sneakers, each member of our Board of Directors participates in a program shadow each year to stay closely connected to our mission and the students we serve. Rick recently joined a field experience and reflected on the impact outdoor learning has on students with different learning styles and backgrounds. His observations reinforce what we see every day: experiential, nature-based education helps students engage, focus, and connect with science in meaningful ways. For many children, these guided outdoor learning experiences are rare opportunities to explore nature firsthand. We’re proud to create spaces where curiosity, confidence, and environmental stewardship can grow together. #MuddySneakers #ExperientialLearning #EnvironmentalEducation #STEMEducation #OutdoorLearning #NonprofitLeadership

📣 Enrollment for 2026–2027 Muddy Sneakers Annual Partnerships is now open! Our programs are backed by evaluation from NC State University, showing measurable benefits in student engagement, science learning, and student well-being. As always, Full and Basic Annual Partnerships are available for 5th grade... and new this year, we’re excited to offer a 3rd Grade Basic Annual Partnership! 🎉 Enroll today to see the impact that consistent outdoor learning can have on your students. LINK IN BIO!

🔍 Nature Find Friday: Ruffle Lichen 🌿 🤔 It may look like a leafy plant, but it's actually a partnership that has stood the test of time. 🧐 What it is: Ruffle lichen is made up of two organisms living together: a fungus and algae. The fungus provides structure and protection, while the algae use sunlight to make food for both partners. 🌳 Where you'll find it: Growing on tree bark and fallen logs throughout North Carolina. It thrives in places with clean air and plenty of moisture. ✨ Fun fact: Lichens don't have roots! They absorb water and nutrients directly from the air, making them excellent indicators of air quality. If you see plenty of healthy lichens, it's often a sign of a healthy environment. 👀 Next time you're outside: Take a closer look at the bark of a tree. You might discover ruffle lichen's wavy, leafy edges creating tiny forests right at eye level. #NatureFindFriday #RuffleLichen #MuddySneakers #OutdoorLearning #NatureEducation #ExploreOutside #NCNature #ScienceEverywhere

🍄 Supporter Spotlight "What motivates me to support Muddy Sneakers is the lifelong enjoyment of the outdoors. I grew up on the edge of a small, remote Michigan town and later lived in rural Henderson and Transylvania counties." — Laura, Sole Society member Laura shared this beautiful photo of a Russula mushroom she found in Transylvania County, a reminder of the wonder waiting to be discovered outdoors. We're grateful to Laura for helping connect North Carolina students with meaningful outdoor learning experiences. 💚 Want to make a lasting impact? Join Laura by becoming a Sole Society monthly donor today: https://muddysneakers.org/get-involved/sole-society/ #MuddySneakers #SupporterSpotlight #OutdoorEducation #NorthCarolina #MonthlyGiving #SoleSociety #NatureLovers

🌎 When students see themselves outdoors, they begin to see their place in the world. Every outdoor lesson helps them build a deeper understanding of ecosystems, their impact, and why caring for nature matters. Outdoor learning grows confident, curious learners who feel connected to the world around them. 🌿 How do you help students connect with nature? Tell us in the comments! 💚

Trade the boardroom for the forest. 🌲✨ Introducing Nature at Work: an outdoor team experience where colleagues connect through hands-on science, exploration, and time in nature. Whether you're planning a team retreat, employee family day, or looking for a meaningful way to give back, every Nature at Work experience helps more North Carolina students connect with science, nature, and each other. Ready to take your team outside? 🌿 Link in bio to learn more! #NatureAtWork #MuddySneakers #TeamBuilding #OutdoorLearning #EmployeeEngagement #CorporateGiving #NorthCarolina #Leadership #GetOutside

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