Programs

ECOS Nature Club

Our Nature Club is for students in grades 4th-7th. Join us for nature hikes, bird watching, art projects, identifying native trees and plants, music, and journaling. Have fun making new friends and connecting to nature in your own community. Nature Club meets on Saturdays at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center, near 47th and Troost, with field trips to Lakeside Nature Center in Swope Park. We also offer nature programs to a variety of schools and community centers in KCMO. We have a formal Program Evaluation by Dr. Connie Campbell. The spring session officially begins Saturday April 1, 2023. Use the registration form below to register 4th – 7th graders in the program. Once registered, parents will receive updates and reminders via email and text. If you represent an urban school, community center or youth program and are interested in bringing a group of 4th – 7th graders for a customized ECOS program, send a note to info@greenworkskc.org. “I feel calmer after exploring nature, and I’m happy here. It’s different than other days.” – ECOS student

Our Nature Club is for KCMO students in grades 4th-7th. Join us for nature hikes, bird watching, art projects, identifying native trees and plants, music, and journaling. We emphasize teamwork and exhibiting kindness toward each other and all living things. Have fun making new friends and connecting to nature in your own community.

Nature Club meets during the spring and fall on Saturdays at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center, near 47th and Troost, with field trips to Lakeside Nature Center in Swope Park. Contact us for more information.

Register for spring 2024 using the form at the bottom of this page.

Read our Fall 2023 Parent Evaluation and listen to a few of our students talking about their experiences at Nature Club.

“I feel calmer after exploring nature, and I’m happy here. It’s different than other days.” – ECOS student

ECOS

We offer ECOS (Environmental Connection Opportunities for Students) nature programs to schools, youth-serving organizations, and community centers in Kansas City, Missouri. Programs are 1 – 3 hours in length and we can provide a single program or a series of programs. ECOS includes many of the same elements as our Nature Club including hiking, tree identification, native plant lessons and nature art, but with the flexibility to schedule on weekdays and in the summer.

If you are interested in bringing a group of 4th – 7th graders for an ECOS nature program, contact us.

 

Wild Kind Explorers

Wild Kind is our winter program for 4th – 7th graders that includes hikes, bird watching and bird feeding, and art projects, combined with trying new things and learning new skills.  We learn to make cord from plant materials, practice navigation including using a compass, and learn to build a fire with sticks. We also explore new foods and include healthy eating and cooking activities. Wild Kind helps us continue to grow, stay connected to our Nature Club friends, and connected to the natural world, even when it’s cold! 

Contact us for more information.

Career Camp

Our Career Camp is a hands-on summer experience for area urban middle school students. Past camps have involved a range of environmental activities including water and air testing utilizing scientific field equipment, outdoor fun kayaking and hiking, and field trips to local nature and science career sites such as Evergy, the Missouri Department of Conservation, KU Field Station and more. Campers participate in “green” career interest surveys, and meet with a variety of professionals including eco-entrepreneurs to learn about their career experiences.

For summer 2024, our camp will focus on careers that involve caring for wild animals and helping protect the places where they live. We’ll be visiting wild animal rehab centers, Missouri Department of Conservation sites, and the Zoo.  Click here to read the impressive results from our pilot year, and click the link on the photo to see our feature on KCPT. Contact us for more information.

“Logan enjoyed the field trips to see and experience what actually happens in places. He told us all about the day he followed the water system.”  – Parent

ECOS Nature Club Registration

    Spring 2024 ECOS Nature Club begins March 30th at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center, and runs from 9:30am - 12:30pm. Nature Club is funded by the Children's Services Fund of Jackson County. If your child is outside Jackson County, they will be placed on a waiting list.

    Student name (required):

    Elementary or middle school student attends (required):

    Grade in Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 (required):

    4th5th6th7th

    Home address (required):

    Home ZIP code (required):

    Parent or guardian name (required):

    Parent or guardian telephone number (required - we will text reminders to this number):

    Parent or guardian email address (required - we will email reminders to this address):

    Additional emergency contact available during class hours (different from Parent/Guardian above):

    Emergency contact name (required):

    Emergency contact telephone number (required):

    Allergy information:

    Other medical or developmental information we should be aware of:

    Demographic Information (required):

    We collect this demographic information solely for reporting purposes. This information does not in any way affect your eligibility for the ECOS program.

    Gender (required):

    FemaleMaleGender NonconformingPrefer not to answer

    Race/ethnicity (required):

    American Indian or Alaska NativeAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic, Latino, or Spanish OriginMiddle Eastern or North AfricanNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific IslanderWhiteOther/Multiple race, ethnicity, or origin identificationPrefer not to answer

    Attendance (required):

    Please check all the dates you anticipate your child will be able to attend ECOS Nature Club.

    Mar 30Apr 6Apr 13Apr 20Apr 27May 4May 11May 18

    How did you hear about us? Please be as specific as possible including location, social media site, name of individual or organization, etc. (required)

    We are committed to providing high-quality educational and workforce opportunities to motivated young people living in the urban neighborhoods served by the Kansas City Public Schools. Within this target population, we will not discriminate based on economic or social status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or physical disability.

    We use the contact and personal information above only to communicate with families and ensure the safety of participants. We use non-identifying information for funder reports.

    While Nature Club is a free program, we do request a $5/student registration fee. You will be directed to the fee payment page after submitting this registration. If the cost of this fee is prohibitive for you, you can bypass the fee payment by closing that window, but you must click Submit below in order to complete your registration before doing so.

    ECOS Nature Club Registration Form

      Spring 2024 ECOS Nature Club begins March 30th at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center, and runs from 9:30am - 12:30pm. Nature Club is funded by the Children's Services Fund of Jackson County. If your child is outside Jackson County, they will be placed on a waiting list.

      Student name (required):

      Elementary or middle school student attends (required):

      Grade in Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 (required):

      4th5th6th7th

      Home address (required):

      Home ZIP code (required):

      Parent or guardian name (required):

      Parent or guardian telephone number (required - we will text reminders to this number):

      Parent or guardian email address (required - we will email reminders to this address):

      Additional emergency contact available during class hours (different from Parent/Guardian above):

      Emergency contact name (required):

      Emergency contact telephone number (required):

      Allergy information:

      Other medical or developmental information we should be aware of:

      Demographic Information (required):

      We collect this demographic information solely for reporting purposes. This information does not in any way affect your eligibility for the ECOS program.

      Gender (required):

      FemaleMaleGender NonconformingPrefer not to answer

      Race/ethnicity (required):

      American Indian or Alaska NativeAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic, Latino, or Spanish OriginMiddle Eastern or North AfricanNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific IslanderWhiteOther/Multiple race, ethnicity, or origin identificationPrefer not to answer

      Attendance (required):

      Please check all the dates you anticipate your child will be able to attend ECOS Nature Club.

      Mar 30Apr 6Apr 13Apr 20Apr 27May 4May 11May 18

      How did you hear about us? Please be as specific as possible including location, social media site, name of individual or organization, etc. (required)

      We are committed to providing high-quality educational and workforce opportunities to motivated young people living in the urban neighborhoods served by the Kansas City Public Schools. Within this target population, we will not discriminate based on economic or social status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or physical disability.

      We use the contact and personal information above only to communicate with families and ensure the safety of participants. We use non-identifying information for funder reports.

      While Nature Club is a free program, we do request a $5/student registration fee. You will be directed to the fee payment page after submitting this registration. If the cost of this fee is prohibitive for you, you can bypass the fee payment by closing that window, but you must click Submit below in order to complete your registration before doing so.

      ECOS Nature Club Registration

        Spring 2024 ECOS Nature Club begins March 30th at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center, and runs from 9:30am - 12:30pm. Nature Club is funded by the Children's Services Fund of Jackson County. If your child is outside Jackson County, they will be placed on a waiting list.

        Student name (required):

        Elementary or middle school student attends (required):

        Grade in Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 (required):

        4th5th6th7th

        Home address (required):

        Home ZIP code (required):

        Parent or guardian name (required):

        Parent or guardian telephone number (required - we will text reminders to this number):

        Parent or guardian email address (required - we will email reminders to this address):

        Additional emergency contact available during class hours (different from Parent/Guardian above):

        Emergency contact name (required):

        Emergency contact telephone number (required):

        Allergy information:

        Other medical or developmental information we should be aware of:

        Demographic Information (required):

        We collect this demographic information solely for reporting purposes. This information does not in any way affect your eligibility for the ECOS program.

        Gender (required):

        FemaleMaleGender NonconformingPrefer not to answer

        Race/ethnicity (required):

        American Indian or Alaska NativeAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic, Latino, or Spanish OriginMiddle Eastern or North AfricanNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific IslanderWhiteOther/Multiple race, ethnicity, or origin identificationPrefer not to answer

        Attendance (required):

        Please check all the dates you anticipate your child will be able to attend ECOS Nature Club.

        Mar 30Apr 6Apr 13Apr 20Apr 27May 4May 11May 18

        How did you hear about us? Please be as specific as possible including location, social media site, name of individual or organization, etc. (required)

        We are committed to providing high-quality educational and workforce opportunities to motivated young people living in the urban neighborhoods served by the Kansas City Public Schools. Within this target population, we will not discriminate based on economic or social status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or physical disability.

        We use the contact and personal information above only to communicate with families and ensure the safety of participants. We use non-identifying information for funder reports.

        While Nature Club is a free program, we do request a $5/student registration fee. You will be directed to the fee payment page after submitting this registration. If the cost of this fee is prohibitive for you, you can bypass the fee payment by closing that window, but you must click Submit below in order to complete your registration before doing so.