No Child Left Inside- Need to Connect Kids with Nature March 12, 2009

On March 12, experts from across the country and the region will gather on Long Island for “No Child Left Inside” -- a unique interactive conference exploring the important role that nature plays in healthy child development. The conference, which is open to everyone in the community, will feature some of the nation’s most prominent thought leaders in the areas of child development, education and the environment – and will pre sent innovative ways to encourage outdoor learning and help children become better stewards of the environment.

“No Child Left Inside” will take place on Thursday, March 12 from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Islandia Marriot Long Island. Tickets for the conference, which is being pre sent ed by the Long Island Nature Collaborative for Kids (LINCK), a project of The Early Years Institute, can be obtained by calling Celeste Hernandez at (516) 304-5480, or by visiting www.linck.org.

In addition to workshops, interactive exhibits and a variety of clever contests, “No Child Left Inside” will feature nationally-acclaimed author and journalist Richard Louv as a Keynote Speaker. Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods; Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, has stimulated an international conversation about the future relationship between children and nature, and has helped spawn a movement that is now moving into the international sphere. Other Keynote Speakers include Nancy Rosenow, Executive Director of the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation; John Rosenow, Founder and Chief Executive of the Arbor Day Foundation; and Dana Friedman, Founder and Executive Director of The Early Years Institute.

“The goal of this conference is to not only address how important it is for kids to connect with nature in terms of their overall development, but to showcase ways that we can help our children experience all that nature has to offer – whether in a formal program or right in their own backyards,” said Dana Friedman, a researcher, policy analyst and community developer focusing on children and family issues, and a widely-published national expert on the power of play for young children. “There are so many opportunities that exist for outdoor learning, and we’re thrilled to attract some of the nation’s top leaders in this area and showcase the exciting all-natural outdoor classrooms that LINCK has helped create over the past year on LI. ”

“No Child Left Inside” will also feature a unique Fairy House competition (with local landscape architects competing for the most creative Fairy House) and a number of special raffle prizes, including a marimba and various wine tasting/spa packages. In addition, the day will provide an unprecedented opportunity for discussion and networking among leaders in child development, education and the environment – and will also offer a tour of the nationally-certified outdoor classroom recently launched at CA.

For more information about the March 12 “No Child Left Inside” conference, including ticket information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Celeste Hernandez at (516) 304-5480, or [email protected], or visit www.linck.org.



About the Long Island Nature Collaborative for Kids (LINCK)



LINCK, a project of The Early Years Institute, is a coalition of environmentalists, early childhood educators, outdoor educators, teachers, health professionals and business and government leaders who work together to promote and create opportunities to connect children and nature. Specific goals of LINCK are to enhance children’s education; to promote healthy children and families; to bring generations together; to create better stewards of the environment; to promote community building and pride, particularly in underserved communities; and to preserve open space. The LINCK collaboration has resulted in the designation of Long Island as a national demonstration site for nature education from the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation.

Official Website: http://www.linck.org