Special Programs
While NEO hosts events nearly every week that are open to everyone, we offer several special programs that are near and dear to our hearts. If you feel the same, ask how you can get involved.
Purpose
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inspire a love of nature in children
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develop life-long habits, not one-time experiences
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get the entire family involved and educated
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encourage a sense of curiosity and wonder
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use nature immersion to better prepare kids for the future
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reduce family conflict and child abuse
Building brighter futures with Nature's help
NEO shows kids that there's a big exciting world all around them. All they have to do it walk outside and look around. During NEO events, the kids know they are having fun, but they are are also learning valuable life skills...many times without even realizing it.
What kids learn
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TEKS correlated "Project Wild" outdoor curriculum
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problem solving / critical thinking skills
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social and emotional learning
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the ability to function as leaders and in teams
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an appreciation for diversity...not just "tolerance" of others
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natural principals of math, physics, science, and more through S.T.E.A.M activities
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how to demonstrate grace under pressure
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how to face challenges withouth Google
Wherever we are needed
NEO recognizes that not every child has the opportunity to walk outside and try out camping or fishing for the first time. We can help. Most of the basic outdoor skills NEO teaches can be modified and taught in urban areas and even indoors! Just tell us what you want to accomplish, and we can make it happen.
Come out and PLAY!
Check out what our "Wilderness Kids" are up to!
Nature Deficit Disorder
NDD has been coined in recent years to describe the epidemic of children growing up with increasingly limited access to nature and the outdoors. Recess and outdoor PE classes have been all but eliminated in many schools. Streets that were once filled with children at play after school sit empty and quiet as kids file off buses and straight to the couch for an evening of TV and video games.
Scientists and doctors from all over the world report that children who have limited access to outdoor stimuli tend to struggle with social skills, have higher levels of stress, have lower proficiencies in critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, and teamwork, and are at a much higher risk of developing physical, mental, and emotional health challenges than children who have access to regular unstructured outdoor play.
In short, giving kids access to nature makes them happier, healthier, and smarter.
It's simple
Everyone deserves to feel sunshine on their face, stroll through bluebonnets in the spring, listen to owls hooting through the night, feel a bite on their line before they real in the big one...especially people with special needs.
A diagnosis doesn't define you
NEO's founder, Jennifer Boley, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when she was in college. Life was changed overnight, and suddenly she was overwhelmed by doctors, friends, and strangers telling her what her limitations would be for the rest of her life. She didn't accept those limitations, and neither should anyone else.
NEO finds a way
We work with people with nearly every form of special need. Many times with just minor adjustments or a few helpful tips, we can provide access to just about any sort of outdoor activity.
No problems...only solutions
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give less stressful alternatives to planned activities
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provide a NEO volunteer buddy to give some extra help
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custom tailor special needs events
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provide suggestions on gear to make activities more comfortable
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suggest the parks and venues that are special needs friendly
NEO is family
When you're with NEO, you are in an instant community of people who care and want to make your experience as cofortable, safe, and enjoyable as possible. There are no steriotypes, no preconceptions, no limits...just fun!
Use it or lose it
We all know it's true. We have to stay active. But sometimes things change as we get a little older. It becomes difficult to stay as fit and trim as we once were. A quick trip to the gym becomes a concern about who may have sneezed on the treadmill, and a walk around the block on concrete is bad news for the knees. Sometimes it's easier to just give up and accept that our best years are behind us.
What a crock! Anyone who feels that way has never hung out with the likes of NEO!
What you get
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outdoor activities for every fitness level and age
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low impact options like kayaking and nature photography
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creative events like outdoor cooking and crafting classes
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social activities like camping and hiking that keep your mind sharp and your spirit lifted
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fun people to travel and have amazing experiences with...road trip anyone?
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a place where you'll never hear the words, "Aren't you too old for that?"
Pollinators in peril
Many pollinators are facing extinction. Due to deforestation, large scale land development, and mass use of pesticides and herbicides are just a few of the reasons. We have all heard about the plight of honey bees while has actually led to the theft of hives worldwide to sell on the honey bee black market. Some studies show that monarch butterfly populations have declined as much as 90% over the past 20 years. Pollinators are a biological necessity to grow life sustaining crops. If pollinators disappear, the global food chain will collapse.
Repairing damage
We can all do our part to make life easier for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial bugs by creating new habitats wherever possible. These can be large acreage sites or something as simple as a balcony full of potted plants.
Making a difference
NEO offers clinics and hands on assistance to develop new pollinator habitats and keep our pollinator skyways thriving. Whether you are a school looking to develop a new garden space, a business with a green median in your parking lot, or an individual with a few empty pots on your back porch, we can help you:
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create a garden with whatever space you have
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choose native and pollinator friendly plants
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mix pollinator plants with edible fruits and veggies
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obtain "Monarch Waystation" and "Texas Wildscapes" certifications for your garden
Taking it further
Through NEO's Butterflies 101 clinics, you can take your "Butterfly Revolution" efforts to the next level. You will learn hot to:
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identify and safely collect Monarch butterfly eggs
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feed and care for caterpillars
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protect monarchs from the spread of disease
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hatch monarch chrysallides
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tag monarch butterflies and report to Monarch Watch
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release healthy butterflies to continue their migration
Wilderness Kids
Nature for All
Outdoor Seniors
Butterfly Revolution
School Partnerships
NEO's commitment to schools
Schools are the backbone of every community, and children are the future stewards of those communities and the world. NEO has always made school partnerships a priority, and we are proud to offer free and low-cost on and off-campus events to students.
Outdoor Education
NEO offers TEKS correlated "Project Wild" outdoor curriculum for pre-K through 12th grade students in:
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Science
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Math
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Social Studies
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Language Arts
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Environmental Education
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Expressive Arts
Developing Leaders
NEO makes school fun while teaching students practical applications for what they are learning. Exciting activities help students develop necessary skills in critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, and collaboration.
Possible Activities
We have equipment and expertise to provide quality on and off-campus events and activities to students.
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Educational clinics
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Geocache problem solving hunts
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Educational field trips
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Adventure field trips including kayaking, fishing, and more
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Overnight or multi-night camps...even to other states
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On campus family events such as camping or picnics
