The Norman Bird Sanctuary is rolling out a new program that will bring 7th-grade students onto its 300-acre campus for free, blending field science, exercise and mental wellness into a single morning outdoors.
The initiative, called “Ecosystem Explorers,” is funded by a grant from the Frederick Henry Prince Memorial Fund at Newport Hospital. The sanctuary is calling the program “Powered by Prince.”
Every participating group will receive free admission, and Title I schools will also get dedicated transportation stipends — an effort, organizers said, to remove the financial barriers that often keep students from getting outside the classroom.
The program is built around a 90-minute guided hike that ties directly to the 7th-grade Life Science curriculum. Students move through the sanctuary’s varied ecosystems, mixing cardiovascular activity and what the sanctuary describes as “joyful play” with mindfulness exercises aimed at giving early adolescents tools to manage stress and anxiety.
The sanctuary’s Universal Trail offers a fully accessible route so students of all mobility levels can take part.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Frederick Henry Prince Memorial Fund to ensure that every local 7th grader has the opportunity to connect with the natural world in a meaningful way,” said Sara Poirier, science coordinator at the Norman Bird Sanctuary. “By connecting students to nature now, we are establishing a foundation for permanent healthy habits and inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.”
Sanctuary staff framed the program as a response to what they call a “nature deficit” — the tendency for children’s connection to the outdoors to fade in adolescence, just as stress and anxiety tend to climb. To extend the experience beyond a single school day, every student who takes part will go home with a family pass to encourage repeat visits.
The pilot also turns the sanctuary’s grounds into what staff describe as a living laboratory. Students will see firsthand how the nonprofit uses data-driven land management to restore habitats and improve ecosystem health, building on the sanctuary’s 77-year conservation legacy.
The Frederick Henry Prince Memorial Fund at Newport Hospital supports programs offering Newport County youth opportunities for physical activity, health and wellness, with a focus on reaching underserved populations.
Founded in 1949, the Norman Bird Sanctuary is a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and environmental education center in Middletown. More information about field trips and the sanctuary’s conservation work is available at NormanBirdSanctuary.org.
For more information about field trips or to learn about the Norman Bird Sanctuary’s conservation efforts, please visit www.NormanBirdSanctuary.org.
