Louisville ECHO (Louisville is Engaging CHildren Outdoors) is Metro Parks’ signature environmental education initiative and is managed by staff based at Jefferson Memorial Forest. Louisville ECHO provides fourth grade students at area elementary schools with meaningful experiences to help these students develop a closer relationship with their environment. These relationships should positively influence their health and academic achievement, and carry forward throughout their lives.
The program takes students to local parks -- including Shawnee, Chickasaw and the Portland Wharf -- along with the 6,191-acre Jefferson Memorial Forest and the Red River Gorge National Geologic Area located within the Daniel Boone National Forest. The inquiry-based activities presented during these vis
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The Louisville Metro Parks Foundation would like to thank Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. for their generous support of this program! |
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its are closely tied to school curriculum.
Many of the children participating in the program have had limited experiences in forest, meadow or riparian environments and Louisville ECHO gives these students experiences that past generations of children have taken for granted as a part of growing up.
In the 2008-09 school year, the program provided environmental education for all fourth and fifth-grade students in Portland, King and Young elementary schools in west Louisville. For 2009-10, the program is being expanded to also include Cane Run Elementary School.
In 2008, Metro Parks was one of 16 national recipients of a grant from the U.S. Forest Service, through their “More Kids in the Woods” program, which provides seed money to development programs that connect children with nature.
As a result of the success of the program in the 2008-2009, the program is being expanded in 2009-2010 school year to include Cane Run Elementary. Louisville Metro Parks Foundation is seeking financial support for this vital program, and we encourage those who wish to help to contact 502-368-5404.
Metro Parks' partners for the 2009-2010 school year include: