Alexandra Forsythe
- Huntington, IN
- Eagle Academy and Indiana Tech, Class of 2018
Alexandra thinks it’s vital for children to connect to the natural world. Multiple studies have found links between an exposure to nature and better health, along with links to increased scholastic performance. However, a significant percentage of students live in cities, making the ability to connect with nature much more challenging. To address that problem, Alexandra created Alexandra’s Outreach to inspire children to go outside and study bird behavior and habitats.
Alexandra’s Outreach is multi-faceted and includes a number of components: thematic units, visual aids, biofacts, experiments, multimedia presentations, group project ideas, research project ideas, community projects, and games. All of the components are free to use, and Alexandra travels frequently across the Midwest to share the materials with students, teachers, Audubon groups, Junior Master Naturalist groups, state and county parks, and other organizations. The project has been well received and used by hundreds of children. Some of the children have become active birders, others have been encouraged to grow native plants and remove invasive ones to help different bird species, and others have become volunteers at the parks and wildlife rehabilitation facilities in their area.
Learn more about Alexandra's Outreach here.