UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Older adults who love being around children and nature are needed to join in an intergenerational environmental program from Penn State Cooperative Extension and Penn State's Shaver's Creek Environmental Center.

"Intergenerational Outdoor School" is a five-day program that brings together older adult volunteers and fifth- and sixth-grade students from Lancaster Country Day School in Lancaster, Penn Mont Academy in Hollidaysburg, and Armagh Elementary School in Milroy to learn about the natural world and gain insight into each other's lives, including their values for caring for the environment. Created by faculty and graduate students in Penn State's department of agricultural and extension education, the program's activities include natural history mini-lessons, discovery walks and community values discussions.

"As a society, we need to nurture opportunities for people of all generations to have dialogue about taking care of the environment," says program coordinator Shih-Tsen (Nike) Liu. "Last year's program went quite successfully; we received lots of positive feedback from the participating seniors, school teachers and environmental educators. At our first annual senior volunteer reunion party, several seniors even brought their family members. We hope to start a trend in environmental education centers, where older adults regularly join young people in their learning and service experiences."

"For 40 years, I have had a love of the woods," says John Buzzell, a retired research chemist who was the first senior adult to sign up for the program. "In recent years, this has grown into a personal commitment for taking care of our forest resources. The only way I can see keeping this wonderful resource for future generations is to figure out ways to interest young people in nature and foster in them a sense of stewardship."

School sessions will be held Monday through Friday during the following week-long sessions:

· Monday, Sept. 22 through Friday, Sept. 26

· Monday, Sept. 29 through Friday, Oct. 3

· Monday, Oct. 13 through Friday, Oct. 17

Anyone aged 55 or older interested in sharing their enthusiasm and wisdom in exploring and discussing nature with children is encouraged to join the program. Prior experience and background in education are not necessary. Meals and a short training session will be provided.

The nature center is approximately 14 miles south of downtown State College, near Petersburg. For more information including the dates of orientation sessions, contact Liu by calling 814-863-7877, by writing to 414 Agricultural Administration Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, or by sending e-mail to SXL234@psu.edu.

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EDITORS: Contact Shih-Tsen (Nike) Liu at 814-863-7877 or sxl234@psu.edu (e-mail).

Contact:

Gary Abdullah gxa2@psu.edu 814-863-2708 814-863-9877 fax #242